Maria Chiguvari
A project Matepe 21st aimed at reviving the slowly dying Matepe mbira sound will be held tomorrow at the Music Crossroads Academy.
German cultural activist and creator of the symres.org, a mbira learning platform, Stefan Franke, has since teamed up with internationally renowned Zimbabwean musician, Othnell Mangoma Moyo, and Kuda Nyaruwabvu to document the repertoire of 82-year- old Matepe master class Chaka Chawasarira (pictured above).
The project started in mid-May at Chawasarira’s home in Chitungwiza.
Funded by the Federal Foreign Office (Germany’s Foreign Ministry), and supported by the Germany Embassy in Harare, the outcome will consist of video lessons, learning how to play the Matepe mbira and building the instrument.
The project’s goal is to promote and support the few remaining masters of the Matepe mbira and protect the Matepe mbira and its repertoire from vanishing.
“Over 50 hours of Matepe songs were recorded and several illustrative files of how to play and build the Matepe mbira were produced.
“Would you like to learn more about Matepe music and do you dare to explore this niche that has only a few experts.
“Othnell Moyo aka Mangoma will present on how to play the intriguing Matepe mbira to 40 students from the Certificate in Professional Music program.”