The UW Zimbabwean Music Club, Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center, and the UW School of Music present a concert by Zimbabwean master musician Musekiwa Chingodza. He will be accompanied by Dr. Claire Jones, mbira; Zack Moon, mbira and hosho (gourd shakers); and Sooja Kelsey on hosho.
Musekiwa Chingodza
Musekiwa Chingodza is a gwenyambira, or, master player in the Shona language of Zimbabwe, of the mbira dzavadzimu. Mbira dzavadzimu is a 22- key lamellophone played with the downward thumb strokes and right index finger upstrokes played inside a large calabash resonator, or deze, to amplify the sound. The rich polyphonic texture of mbira music when played in pairs of two or more, with the bell-like tones of the metal keys and buzzing timbre produced by shells and bottle caps adorning the deze, has been used for centuries in Zimbabwe during spirit possession ceremonies. Mbira is still played in this context as well as many other contexts in Zimbabwe, and has even spread around the world by visiting artists and passionate students of this intrinsically beautiful 1,000 year old living music tradition.
Mr. Chingodza is currently on tour visiting universities, festivals, community centers, and music camps around the U.S. and Canada. We are very lucky to be able to host Musekiwa here in Seattle for a live concert at the University of Washington School of Music, Brechemin Auditorium, Friday, April 25th 7:30 pm. For Musekiwa's Seattle concert he will be accompanied by Dr. Claire Jones, mbira, Zack Moon, mbira and hosho (gourd shakers) as well as Sooja Kelsey on hosho.
Admission is free with a suggested $15 dollar donation; sliding scale between $5 - $15.