About Workshops

Zimfest offers an outstanding selection of top-quality workshops on Zimbabwean music and culture. This year’s schedule includes more than 90 workshops during 9 sessions, taught by 24 expert musicians from Zimbabwe, North America, and Europe.

  • You can participate in hands-on workshops in marimba, mbira, singing, hosho, dance, drumming, guitar, and instrument building & repair.
  • Some workshops are designed for children & youth.
  • Presentations provide further connection with Zimbabwean music and culture.
  • Intensive workshops extend beyond one class session to provide students with a deeper experience in learning a song or an instrument. Out of respect for the teacher and other class participants, people who sign up for intensives are expected to attend all sessions listed.

Please do not sign up for any workshop that is beyond your experience level!

Participant Playing Levels

In order for teachers to accomplish the goals of their classes, it is important that participants sign up for classes that are appropriate to their experience and playing level. Signing up for a class that is beyond your level creates major problems for the teacher and the other students. If the teacher deems that the class is above your level you may be asked to observe.

When choosing your classes, please refer to the following guidelines:

Introductory/Beginning: Appropriate for those who have never touched the instrument through folks who have studied less than one year.

Advanced Beginning: Those who have played the instrument for at least one year. For marimba, they can play a couple of parts on at least five songs. For mbira, they can play at least two songs.

Intermediate: Those who have played at least three years, have good technique, can catch cues and understand how to move through sections, and understand the rhythm, form, and structure of the pieces. For marimba, can play a few parts on at least 10 pieces. For mbira, know at least 5 songs and be able to play in both the kushaura and kutsinhira positions.

Advanced: Those who meet the intermediate criteria, PLUS learn quickly, are comfortable playing fast, have a strong sense of rhythm, and have played for at least three years at performance level. For marimba, understand concepts such as kushaura and kutsinhira. For mbira, know both kushaura and kutsinhira parts to 10 songs, can play confidently in both positions on each song, and can learn a kushaura and kutsinhira part in one workshop.

Recording

Some teachers do not allow recording for personal use. We have stated under “Materials” if audio or video recording is OK. Recording at any other time should be discussed, in advance, directly with the teacher.

Ways to View the Workshop Descriptions

  • Click the links at the top-right to view workshop descriptions by category, by session, or by teacher.
  • See the Workshop Schedule for a complete list of workshops. On the Workshop Schedule page, click a link to view the description of a single workshop.
  • Log into Online Registration. You can register and pay via PayPal. You can also view the workshop schedule and click links to read single workshop descriptions.
  • Browse the Registration Guide, available as a PDF file suitable for printing, or contact our office if you want to receive a printed copy in the mail. Be aware that changes occur after publication in late April.

How to Register

You can register in advance either online or by mail. Or you can wait until you arrive at the festival and register on-site, but many workshops will already be full. For instructions, please see the Registration Information.

Workshops and schedules are subject to change

Workshop Changes

Workshop changes do occur. Changes are incorporated into the web pages (but not the PDF) as they occur so that they stay up-to-date. It’s wise to check the Corrections & Changes web page occasionally right up until the festival, if you’re taking workshops.

What to Bring

Bring water and a water bottle. Also pens, paper, earplugs, coffee mug — whatever you need to make yourself comfortable during workshops and long days on the go. Please bring any instruments you may need for your workshops, and consider sharing your instruments and/or bringing extras. You may also want a tape recorder, extra batteries and tapes.

If you are camping at Zimfest, here is a partial list of items to bring:

Water
Tent
Sleeping bags
Sleeping pads
Coleman stove OK
Bikes
Cool weather clothing     
Sunscreen 		Bug repellant
Flashlight
Batteries
Sun shading hat
Lawn chairs
Hiking shoes
Blankets for sitting
Your favorite beverage cup/mug