African Drum, Dance with Chris Berry
Friday September 4th –
Drum 6 pm • Dance 7:30 pm
Saturday September 5th –
Mbira* 11 am • Drum 3 pm • Dance 5 pm
Sunday September 6th –
Mbira* 11 am • Drum 3 pm • Dance 5 pm
Monday September 7th –
Drum 11 am • Dance 12:30 pm
Zimbabwean Drum & Dance Workshops
Featuring Rujeko Chenzira and Heidi Alina.
April 10th , 11th & 12th
Memorial Hall, 1st & Main, Hotchkiss
Friday– Drum 6–7:30
Dance 7:30–9:00
Saturday– Drum 5–6:30
Dance 6:30–8:00
Sunday– Drum 1–2:30
Dance 2:30–4:00
Rujeko Chenzira belongs to a family of musicians and healers from the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe. Her knowledge of both Western and African dance, music and culture allows her to provide a bridge between the two cultures.
Heidi Alina teaches contemporary and traditional rhythms from Zimbabwe and West Africa on Djembe and Dunun Drums. She has been immersed in African drumming since 1990, traveling to Africa, and studying from many teachers. She is an accomplished and observant teacher.
Download the printable poster: rujeko-and-heidi-poster-2009-p1-final-forweb
Dance Workshop
Saturday August 9th ~ 2 pm
Memorial Hall, 1st & Main, Hotchkiss
$15/class.
Drum class Friday at 6pm.
Mbira classes also offered.
Call 970.872.6004 to register and for more information.
Chris Berry’s musical journey took flight at age 18, when Berry and his mentor—African drum master Titos Sompa, with whom Berry had been studying since age 13—boarded a plane for Congo’s Brazzaville. After a ten-day boat trip up the Congo River, Berry arrived in a remote village and immersed himself in the culture and music. His fascination of Zimbabwean mbira (thumb piano) music eventually lured him to Harare, where he settled and studied under legendary mbira master Monderek Muchena for ten years. During that time, Berry put together his band Panjea, whose pioneering blend of indigenous music, dance hall, and hip-hop earned platinum album sales throughout Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and beyond. Since that time Chris has been teaching drum, dance & mbira and performing in the United States and abroad.
We are happy to be hosting another visit from this high energy, Zimbabwean inspired Marimba band based out of Santa Fe. Here are the details:
Click here for a printable PDF version of the poster.
Blue Sage Center, Paonia — Saturday July 19th – 8 pm
Saturday July 19th – Marimba Dance Party @ 8pm – $10-$15 (sliding scale), kids under 12 free!
Sunday July 20th – Marimba & Singing Workshops @ 11am – $15
Register/questions: 970-872-4413
The workshops are open to all levels, please come give the marimbas a try! Limited space, please call to reserve a spot.
ZIMBABWEAN GUEST ARTIST MUSEKIWA CHINGODZA
June 20-22, 2008
Musekiwa Chingodza
Mbira, Singing & Hosho Workshops
Performance
Hosted by Zimbabwe in the North Fork
…………………………………………………..
PERFORMANCE
Musekiwa & Friends
Friday, June 20 6pm
Blue Sage Center, Paonia
$10 / Kids under 12 free
HOSHO Class
Sat, June 21, 4-5pm
$15 drop-in, $10 when combined
with following Singing Class
SINGING Classes
Sat, June 21, 5:30-7pm Group Songs
Sun, June 22, 4-5:30pm Mbira Singing
MBIRA Workshops
Beginning/Introductory
Sat, June 21, 2-3:30pm
Sun, June 22, 2-3:30pm
Intermediate
Sat, June 21, 11-12:30am
Sat, June 22, 11-12:30pm
MBIRA WORKSHOP & SINGING CLASS COSTS:
$15/ea. drop-in
$12/ea. series of 3 or more
$60 – all classes.
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY: Performance, 6pm
SATURDAY: Intermediate Mbira, 11am; Beginning Mbira 2pm; Hosho 4pm; Group Singing 5pm
SUNDAY: Intermediate Mbira, 11am; Beginning Mbira 2pm; Mbira Singing 4pm
OTHER DAYS: Please inquire about private lessons with Musekiwa during the week he is here.
LOCATION:
Powell Mesa, Hotchkiss – Round Earth Farm, Call for directions & details.
CONTACT & REGISTRATION:
Adam Silverstein
970-872-4413
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.” He is an excellent singer, dancer and drummer
and plays both mbira dzavadzimu and nyunga nyunga.
Zimbabwean Drum & Dance Workshops
Featuring Rujeko Chenzira and Heidi Alina.
Click poster for a printable version.
January 12th & 13th
Memorial Hall, 1st & Main, Hotchkiss
Saturday– Drum 2–3:30
Dance 4–5:30
Sunday– Drum 11–12:30
Dance 1–2:30
$18 a class
$15 before Jan 5th
For more info call 970-872-6004
Chris will be in Hotchkiss, Colorado offering workshops in mbira, singing, drumming and dance.
Saturday classes will be held at the Yurt at Round Earth farm at 34830 Powell Mesa Rd.
11 am mixed level mbira (everyone welcome!)
1:30 pm mbira singing (everyone welcome!)
2:30 pm intermediate/advanced mbira -
4 pm advanced drumming – (limited spots available)
Sunday classes will be held at Memorial Hall, at 1st & Main one block North of the Hotchkiss post office.
12 noon – mixed level drum class (everyone welcome!)
2pm – mixed level dance class (everyone welcome!)
All classes are $15. Call 970-872-4413 for more information.
Announcing a Special Appearance in Paonia by Zimbabwean Master Musicians
Click the poster at left for a full size printable PDF download!
Zimbabwean mbira masters Cosmas Magaya and Ambuya Beauler Dyoko will be visiting Paonia for a rare appearance at the Blue Sage Center on Friday September 14th. During their appearance they will discuss Zimbabwean Culture and Music, as well as perform and demonstrate traditional Shona music. The will offer introductory workshops the following day. The appearance is part of their US tour, and is organized by ZimbabweInTheNorthFork.com, a local group promoting cultural exchange with Zimbabwe.
Mr. Magaya is an internationally recognized master of the “Mbira dzaVadzimu“, the traditional thumb piano played in Zimbabwe. He is a performer, highly acclaimed teacher and group leader of traditional Zimbabwean music. In addition to performing with his group, Mhuri yekwa Magaya, in Zimbabwe, he has completed several international tours with mbira ensembles in Europe and the United States. 
His performances are featured on a number of critically acclaimed CDs and he has been invited to teach master classes at top universities in the United States including Stanford, Northwestern and Duke University. In addition to performing and teaching, Cosmas has, since 1971, collaborated with ethnomusicologist Dr. Paul Berliner, doing field research on Shona traditional music that has resulted in a scholarly and well known book, The Soul of Mbira.
Ambuya Beauler Dyoko represents a pure expression of traditional Shona mbira and culture. Also known as the Queen of Zimbabwean Mbira, Beauler is a stunning vocalist and for many years was asked to perform a song to open the Zimbabwean Parliament. She has a unique and sweetly forceful mbira style which has influenced many in the U.S. and Zimbabwe. She is leader and featured singer with the popular contemporary mbira ensemble The Black Souls and has also performed with Mhuri yekwa Rwizi for many years in Zimbabwe and throughout the world.
From 22 to 28 strips of forged metal of varying lengths are affixed to a hardwood soundboard and the whole piece is usually placed inside a large resonator made of a calabash (called the deze) to amplify the sound. In effect, there are two levels of sound amplification: first the soundboard and then the gourd. The metal keys on the instruments are curved upward at the loose ends, and are stroked with the two thumbs plucking down and the right forefinger plucking up. The sound is somewhat like a marimba, but with an almost harp-like effect The deze, or gourd, is strung with bottle caps or shells that shake in sympathy with the vibrations of plucked keys, producing a buzzing sound. Beyond the music itself, the mbira represents the spiritual values of the Shona, their culture, religion and aspirations as a people. (*mbira description content from wikipedia.com)
The upcoming presentation and workshops will feature the traditional singing, hosho and mbira music of Zimbabwe. Times for the workshops and more details will be available at www.ZimbabweInTheNorthFork.com. The appearance at the Blue Sage in Paonia takes place at 7pm on Friday September 14th. Admission is $12 and kids under 12 are free. Call 872-4413 for more information.
The amazing Trillium Marimba Ensemble will appear in concert on Saturday August 4th at the Blue Sage Center for the Arts in Paonia.
Check out the poster (click image for larger view) – or click here to download the poster pdf – suitable for posting on your fridge or at a local coffee shop or book store.
Here are the details:
Get ready to dance – Saturday August 4 th – Trillium Marimba Band, from Santa Fe, NM, blends traditional Zimbabwean music with folk, classical and ragtime to create an infectious, high energy dance sound. Take a workshop Sunday August 5th with Trillium members Peter & Makaela Swing.
Trillium Marimba – Blue Sage Center, Paonia — August 4th & 5th
**Saturday August 4th – Marimba Dance Party @ 8pm – $10-$15 (sliding scale), kids under 12 free!
** Sunday August 5th – Marimba & Singing Workshops @ 11am – $15
* For more information call 970-872-4413
After the last gathering, I decided to create this mailing list. Sign up here for occasional emails with information about upcoming workshops, performances and musical gatherings.