About Workshops

Zimfest offers an outstanding selection of top-quality workshops on Zimbabwean music and culture. This year’s schedule includes more than 140 workshops during 11 sessions, taught by 30 expert musicians from Zimbabwe, North America, and Europe.

  • You can participate in hands-on workshops in marimba, mbira, singing, dance, hosho, and drumming.
  • A few workshops are designed for children.
  • Presentations, discussions, and films and Shona language classes 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 Skill 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.

Workshops and schedules are subject to change

Recording

Unless otherwise indicated, instuctors allow audio taping only.

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 PDF file (suitable for printing). If you are unable to download and print your own copy of the Registration Guide, please contact us at 2007@zimfest.org, and we will mail you a copy. Be aware that changes occur after publication.

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.

Workshop Changes

Workshop changes do occur. Changes are incorporated into the web pages as they occur so that they stay up-to-date. (The Registration Guide PDF file remains unchanged.) It’s wise to check the Corrections & Changes web page occasionally right up until the festival, if you’re taking workshops.