Workshop Teachers

 

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Erica Azim fell in love with Shona mbira music when she first heard it at the age of 16. In 1974, Erica became one of the first Americans to study mbira in Zimbabwe, and her teachers have included many of Zimbabwe's top mbira masters, past and present, such as Forward Kwenda, Cosmas Magaya, Mondrek Muchena, Ephat Mujuru, Newton Gwara, Irene Chigamba, Tute Chigamba, Chris Mhlanga, Luken Pasipamire, Fradreck Mujuru and Ambuya Beauler Dyoko. Erica has recorded two solo CDs, including "Mbira: Healing Music of Zimbabwe." She currently teaches regional mbira workshop groups throughout the U.S. and internationally-attended mbira camps at her home in Berkeley, California. Erica also directs the non-profit organization MBIRA (see www.mbira.org), which makes field recordings available to mbira enthusiasts around the world and provides financial support to Zimbabwean mbira players and instrument makers.

Jaiaen Beck was introduced to Zimbabwean music through attending a Shona Spirituality lecture by the late Dumisani Maraire. Since 1990 she has worked with several Zimbabwean and North American teachers studying Shona music and healing traditions. In 1993, she established Ancient Ways as a charitable non-profit to preserve traditional ways of indigenous people and has taught music to all ages since that time. She has provided a link for people to network and offer humanitarian aid to rural Zimbabwe through co-founding Nhimbe for Progress in 1999 and Jangano in 2005, two separately managed rural community development projects which are directed incountry by Zimbabweans in partnership with Ancient Ways.

Nathan Beck has studied Shona music since the early 1990s including extensive study in Zimbabwe with Cosmas Magaya, Garikayi Tirikoti, and the Chigamba family. Nathan has been a member of Boka Marimba since 1992 and also plays with Njuzu. He has taught at Zimfest, Camp Tumbuka, as well as many Portland area schools. Currently, he teaches marimba and mbira at Lewis & Clark College.

Garadziva Chigamba has been playing most of his life, having grown up in one of the most prestigious musical families of Zimbabwe. He has traveled and performed worldwide and now lives in British Columbia where he teaches marimba, mbira, drums, hosho, and dances in schools, and camps, and offers lessons privately. His band, Jambanja, plays many of his original compositions and recently recorded these on their first CD.

Irene Chigamba may be the only Zimbabwean woman who learned to play mbira from her mother, then taught her own daughter to play (it is rare for women to play mbira in Zimbabwe). As a young child, she learned mbira from first her mother and then her father, Tute Chigamba. While growing up, she traveled extensively with her father to play mbira in traditional ceremonies all over Zimbabwe. She also excelled in singing, hosho, dance, and drumming. As an adult, Irene toured the world as a musician and dancer in the Zimbabwe National Dance Troupe. With the demise of that group, Irene formed her own group, Mhembero Dance Troupe, which took on the same role as Zimbabwe’s international cultural ambassadors. Irene teaches music and dance to everyone from young children to adults. She is known for both her patience and her strong encouragement.

Musekiwa Chingodza was born into a family of great mbira players in Mwangara village, Murewa, Zimbabwe, in 1970. He began playing mbira at the age of five and is self-taught. Through listening to other gwenyambira, or great mbira players, he developed a strong attachment to and love for mbira music. He says, “Our music is both medicine and food, as mbira has the power to heal and to provide for people. Mbira pleases both the living and the dead.” In 1991, Musekiwa was a key member of the band Panjea, founded by Chris Berry. He composed the hit song “Ganda” on Panjea’s Zimbabwean album. Currently Musekiwa teaches mbira at Prince Edward School in Harare. He is an excellent singer, dancer, drummer, and he plays both mbira dzavadzimu and nyunga nyunga. Following up on “Tsunga,” his widely acclaimed CD with Jennifer Kyker, Musekiwa released his CD “VaChingodza Budai Pachena.” His newest CD, “Kutema Musasa,” was released in 2005.

Rujeko Dumbutshena was born and raised in Zimbabwe. Her early life was profoundly influenced by African musicians, healers, and Shona tradition. Rujeko left Africa to continue her education in America. Currently Rujeko teaches African dance at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, tours nationally and internationally, and runs Camp Tumbuka with Chris Berry.

Kite Giedraitis has been playing Shona music since 1987 and began teaching 13 years ago in Portland. He was an original member of Boka Marimba, playing with them for 3 years before traveling in Zimbabwe for a year and Ghana for 3 months. He founded Village Spirit in Portland in 1992. The following bands have evolved out of his marimba classes: Zuva, Dancing Trees, Kukuva, Flying Safari Ants, Chiremba, White Rhino, Zimba, Born on Tuesday, Duduluza, Bongozozo, Eurimba and Wood Vibrations. He founded Fools in Paradise in 2001.

Stephen Golovnin has been playing marimba and mbira "for awhile." Major teaching influences came from Dumisani Maraire and Erica Azim. A bit of a renegade, Stephen adheres to the faith that music will find its purest expression through an open heart and open mind.

Joe Keefe has been a musician all his life and a serious drummer since he was a teenager. His first professional gig was at age 15. In the 60s, he was a jazz drummer and taught drum set lessons. In 1968, he began to study African music at UCLA and continued studying various styles of African, Cuban and Brazilian percussion for the next 25 years. He met Dumi in 1990 and they started Dandaro Marimba Band in Santa Cruz. He has been playing marimba and hosho ever since. Joe began studying karimba (nyunga nyunga) with Dumi in 1990. He has been playing since then and teaching for the last few years. He has also studied karimba with Musekiwa Chingodza. In 2000, he started Sadza, a Santa Cruz county band that plays Zimbabwean music on drums, karimba, mbira and marimbas. He has created several arrangements for Sadza that feature mbira and karimba with marimbas.

MyLinda King played with Boka Marimba between 1989 and 1999. Since 1994 she has been teaching marimba groups in her home, in Portland schools, and at music camps. She also gives workshops to local marimba bands. She enjoys making hosho for the Zimbabwean music community and has written a book, Making Your Own Hosho.

Marilyn Kolodziejczyk has been studying Zimbabwean music since 1993. She plays marimba, mbira, ngoma, and especially enjoys singing and hosho. Her teachers include Cosmas Magaya, Ambuya Beauler Dyoko, Musekiwa Chingodza, Tute Chigamba, Julia Chigamba, Mai Chi Maraire, and Dumisani Maraire, along with many other Zimbabweans and North Americans. She has performed with Shumba Marimba and various Kutsinhira marimba ensembles, and currently performs with Kudana Marimba and Vakasara Mbira Group. She has often played hosho in public performances with Zimbabwean musicians Cosmas Magaya, Beauler Dyoko, and Musekiwa Chingodza. She and her family traveled to Zimbabwe in 1997, and they have entertained many Zimbabwean guests at their home in Eugene, Oregon. Marilyn also serves as Zimbabwe Liaison for the Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center in Eugene.

Joel Lindstrom has been playing marimba and nyunga-nyunga since 1991. In 1993, he started playing mbira dzavadzimu. He has studied with Maggie Donahue, Don Addison, and Cosmas Magaya, among other teachers. Joel has been teaching at the Kutsinhira Center in Eugene, Oregon, since 1994. He is particularly interested in teaching about the interrelationship of kutsinhira and kushaura and relating all parts to the beat. He is a member of the marimba group Nyaradzi, and the mbira group Vakasara.

Paul Mataruse learned to play marimba with his twin brother and a few neighborhood friends from the age of six. His musical style is as much derived from his father as it is from jam sessions in a small room with two soprano instruments, two tenors, and a baritone. Paul often describes these sessions as the best musical education he ever got, and to this day he often encourages his friends and students to jam on the marimbas. In the more than 20 years since he started playing marimba, Paul has taught in schools in and around Harare and Mashonaland West in Zimbabwe, as well as in North America. He currently lives in the Seattle area, where he is musical director of Whidbey Island-based Ruzivo Marimba.

Sheasby Matiure is currently a lecturer in music education at the University of Zimbabwe. He previously taught for some years at Seke Teacher Training College, just outside Harare. He has also acted as manager and artistic director of the Zimbabwe National Dance Company. In 1999, Sheasby was an artist in residence with the International Vocal Ensemble at Indiana University, where he subsequently graduated with an MA in Ethnomusicology. He is currently at IU finishing a Ph.D. In ethnomusicology. Sheasby is a highly respected musician, adept at teaching choral singing and playing mbira, ngoma, hosho, and marimba.

Alport Mhlanga, a composer, ethnomusicologist, educator, and marimba maker, has performed and taught marimba since 1964. He was the mainstay at Kwanongoma College of Music for many years and is currently at Maru-A-Pula School in Botswana, where he is the Director of Marimba and Musical Outreach programs. Among people Alport inspired through his teaching are Dumisani Maraire, Sheasby Matiure, Denishad Mugochi, Themba Tana, Cephas Tshuma, Paddle Ndlovu, Burma Tshuma, Tsitsi Chikanya, Soft Sibanda, Noel Goremusandu, Moses Chugumira, Never Sibanda, Michael Sibanda, Donaldson Molema, Dorothy Mthimkhulu, and Mickey Nemarundwe, just to name a few. Alport’s music has been captured on three marimba CDs entitled “Vibrant Zimbabwe,” “Kwanomoto,” and “Tears of Joy.” The latter won an award under ‘BOMA2002’ (Botswana Music Awards 2002) as the best marimba group and was nominated for an award under SAMA (South African Music Awards) 2003, which was held at the Sun City in South Africa. Alport’s music travels have taken him to Brazil, Canada, Finland, Mozambique, South Africa, Sweden, the United States, and Zimbabwe.

Maria Minnaar-Bailey grew up in Zimbabwe where her love of its music and culture was nurtured by her father, an ethnomusicologist who was also director of Kwanongoma College in the 1970s. Playing marimbas since age 14, Maria currently teaches a community band in Colony, Texas. She has produced two marimba CDs with her previous youth bands from Brenham, TX, and Groveton, TX, as well as a marimba instruction book. After her father’s death in 1993 she began manufacturing marimba instruments in the Chopi style in order to continue the work which her father had begun. Having grown up as a “missionary kid” with a lot of exposure to African church music, she loves to teach singing as well as marimbas.

Lucky Moyo has performed and taught Ndebele, Kalanga, and Suthu choral music and dance on the international stage for over 20 years. He performed and taught at Zimfest in 1997, 2001, 2002, and 2005. Lucky is an arts lobbyist, event manager, producer, director, singer, songwriter, voice coach, teacher, and workshop leader who has visited 30 countries around the world. For Lucky, the process of sharing is the real driving force and core of all his work. With this in mind, he works in a variety of settings such as schools, colleges, community centers, theaters, reformatories, prisons, as well as arts-based training with numerous organizations including business staff training programs. Lucky is a firm believer in the role of music beyond just entertainment. He passionately argues for music as a vehicle for change, communication, healing, and problem solving.

Kelly Takunda Orphan loves to sing, drum, and dance and has been both a professional artist and music educator since 1994, sharing her own original music as well as music from Zimbabwe and beyond. She recently returned from a trip to India, where she taught chorus and percussion to children in need. In 1994, after recording and touring with Babatunde Olatunji and African Rain, Kelly studied music and dance in Zimbabwe and performed for such luminaries as Nelson Mandela with The University of Zimbabwe Choir and Mhembero Dance Company. From 1998 to 2001, she toured nationally and internationally with Keith Terry and Crosspulse and was the founding member and musical director of the group Mutama. Currently Kelly is heading up her own ensemble, The KTO Project, which offers unique and exciting music created to uplift your spirits and feel funky at the same time!

Dean Samuel is a founding member of Marimba Muzuva and has been playing marimba since 1992. He traveled with Muzuva to Zimbabwe in 1994, where they studied marimba with Farai Gezi. Dean also studied mbira in Zimbabwe with Musa Chihota and Lovett Paradzai.

Tom Scott has studied marimba since 1993. Some of his teachers include Maggie Donahue, Michael Breez, Farai Gezi, Dumisani Maraire, and Stephen Golovnin. Tom has performed since 1995 with Hearing Voices. He is good at working with kids and adults who tend to feel intimidated. He says, “I am very good at creating a fun, positive learning experience. I am a teacher by profession and can accommodate many different learning styles. Everyone is successful in my workshops.”

Sheree Seretse began studying with Dumisani Maraire in 1970, then began performing with him a year later and teaching with him in 1973. She has been teaching at the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center in Seattle since 1978, where her marimba class developed into a professional group later known as Sukutai Marimba Ensemble. Currently she performs and directs Anzanga, which she founded in 1986, and Shumba Youth Marimba Ensemble, founded in 2003. Sheree teaches classes on marimba, mbira, ngoma, dance, and African children’s games. She also lectures on Shona music at three independent schools, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, and around the country.

Peter Swing has studied Shona music since 1988. His principle teachers have been Dumisani Maraire, Mai Chi Maraire Nemarundwe, and Ephat Mujuru. Other influences include Tute Chigamba, Beauler Dyoko, Stella Chiweshe, Paul Mataruse, and Chris Berry. Peter was a former director of Boka Marimba, a founding member of Jaka, and the director of Tatenda Youth Marimba Ensemble. He has also taught at Camp Tumbuka since its inception. Currently he leads his family’s band, Trillium Marimba Ensemble.

Ted Wright began playing and studying Shona music with Marimba Muzuva in 1993 and has been teaching marimba, mbira, chipendani, and gumboot dancing for many years. He has studied and performed with many of Zimbabwe’s top traditional musicians, receiving particular inspiration from the Chigamba family and Mhembero, Cosmas Magaya, Musekiwa Chingodza, and Sydney Maratu. Ted has been teaching at Zimfests since 1997 and has taught ongoing classes, workshop groups, and in schools. He has traveled to Zimbabwe three times to study Zimbabwean music and culture at length. An interest in sound recording, developed through his work in the studio with Muzuva, has resulted in numerous recordings recorded and/or produced by Ted for artists such as Sydney Maratu, Garadziva Chigamba, Simukai, Amani Marimba, and Juba. He also offers his own field recordings from Zimbabwe on his Restless Rabbit label. His performing credits include world beat improv ensemble Spirit Gate, mbira quartet Choto, and Zimbabwean roots dance bands Zimfusion and Jambanja. Ted continues to perform with Marimba Muzuva.
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