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For
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October 7, 1999 -- The McIntire Department of Music will present "The Soul of Mbira" in Old Cabell Hall Auditorium at U.Va. on Monday, Oct. 11, at 8:15 p.m., featuring leading mbira artists from Zimbabwe in Central Africa. The mbira is an ancient and enchanting African instrument consisting of reed or metal keys mounted on a bridge on a hardwood soundboard, and usually encompassed by a half-gourd resonator. Along with sung poetry and percussion, mbira music has long been an integral part of Shona culture; musicians play the mbira at traditional religious ceremonies in which villagers consult with and make offerings to their ancestors. Mbira tradition has influenced internationally known popular musicians such as Thomas Mapfumo. The artists featured in this tour lead their own mbira ensembles in Zimbabwe, and have come together for the tour to broadly represent Zimbabwe's mbira tradition. The Shona people have several types of mbiras ranging in number of keys from eight to fifty-two. This group features three different types of mbiras, their accompanying styles of song and dance, as well as drums, hosho (ground rattles), musical bows, and antelope trumpets. The featured artists include Beauler Dyoko, Zimbabwe's first woman mbira recording artist and singer; Hakurotwi Mude, singer and leader of the group Mhuri yikwaRwizi, and spirit medium; Cosmas Magaya, featured mbira player and mbira teacher; Simon Magaya, hosho player and expert on Shona customs; Chaka Chawasarira, a mbira maker and player, composer of church music, and performer on drums and musical bows. The seating arrangement and concert atmosphere will be informal to enable the musicians and audience to experience an event that very closely captures the essence of a village setting in Zimbabwe. At 7:30 p.m. there will be a pre-concert lecture/discussion led by Paul Berliner (author of the Soul of Mbira and an ethnomusicology professor at Northwestern University). Berliner has researched and performed mbira music since the 1970s and with this tour, he has realized a decades-long dream of presenting these extraordinary master musicians in America. Tickets are $10 general admission/$5 students/5ARTS$. Call (804) 924-3984 for more information. Contact: Marcy Day: (804) 924-6492; fax: (804) 924-6033; e-mail: mday@virginia.edu |
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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Please contact
University News Services at (804) 924-7116. Television reporters
should contact the TV News Office at (804) 924-7550. |
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"The
Soul of Mbira" to be Presented at U.Va. Oct. 11