GigMaven

It’s been awhile since I last played a Mbira and I greatly miss it. I was fortunate enough to take some private lessons on the Mbira with Cosmas Magaya, a master of the Mbira a few years back. I thought I’d post some info. about the artist and the instrument.

(via dharmanet.org) The mbira (mm – bee – ra) is a musical instrument of ancient origin with rows of hand-forged, tuned, metal keys bound to a wooden soundboard. The free end of the keys are stroked and plucked with the thumbs and one forefinger to produce ringing, polyrhythmic tapestries that accompany stories, songs and dance.

The instrument and compositions are beautiful. Here are some examples of the Mbira:

[podcast]http://www.dandemutande.org/Catalog/Music/Sounds/MagayaCosmas_Anoyimba_11Taireva.mp3[/podcast]

[podcast]http://streamos.nonesuch.com/download/nonesuch/music/075597970425/075597970425_009_128.mp3[/podcast]

[podcast]http://streamos.nonesuch.com/download/nonesuch/music/075597971026/075597971026_001_128.mp3[/podcast]

[podcast]http://www.mbira.org/audio/Bangidza-sample.mp3[/podcast]

(via kutsinhira.org) Cosmas Magaya is an internationally recognized master of the mbira dzaVadzimu. As a performer, mbira teacher and leader of the mbira ensemble Mhuri yekwaMagaya, he has gained national and international acclaim for his extraordinary talent as a musician and teacher in the Zimbabwean music traditions.

If you ever have the opportunity to study with someone like Cosmas, I highly recommend you take advantage of it.

Check out a video of Cosmas here. Read more about him, or get his contact info. here.

And lucky you, a picture of me performing with some of my fellow classmates. Kind of lame, but it’s all I have.

Here’s a video of Cosmas at Duke University working with some students.

Tags: CCM, College, Cosmas Magaya, Dance, Duke University, mbira, Musical instrument, Musician, Teacher

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 11:39 am and is filed under Music Industry - General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.