Join St Peter's Community Marimba Band and play African folk songs on the African marimba. Complete beginners are most welcome and there will be plenty of room for growth and development.
The community band is open to 7 marimba players, spread across soprano, tenor and baritone marimbas. We also welcome anyone who would like to join to play drumkit, djembe or shakers with singing.
Some of the things you will learn on this workshop series include:
A repertoire of folk songs from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana
An understanding of the cultural context of each song
Confidence to play on soprano, tenor and baritone marimbas
Confidence to play several variations interchangeably on each song
The ability to sing some basic vocal lines to the songs you learn
The spring term will conclude with the opportunity to perform for a friendly audience of family and friends for those who wish to take part.
Try Out Session: Sunday 9th March
Dates: Sunday 16th March, Sunday 23th March, Sunday 30th March, Sunday 6th April, Sunday 13th April, Sunday 27th April, Sunday 4th May, Sunday 11th May, Sunday 25th May, Sunday 1st June
Time: 12:15 - 13:15
Duration: 10 weeks
Band Leader: Otto Gumaelius
Location: St Peters North Community Centre, 1 Marian Place, E2 9AX
Cost: £120 for a 10 week term
About Marimba
Full of buzzing sound and energy, the marimba is a wonderful instrument to play. A typical Zimbabwean marimba ensemble is made up of soprano, tenor, baritone and bass marimbas. They are acoustic instruments, making them easy to set up, and they are played using two sticks. Zimbabwean marimbas came into extistance in the 1960s at Kwanongoma College of African Music in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, which specialised in African music and teacher training. The marimba was developed as a uniquely African instrument for instruction. Today the instruments are played across southern Africa.
About The Band Leader
Otto Gumaelius is a London based, Botswana raised, percussionist specialising in the Kwanongoma marimba and mbira nyunga nyunga of southern Africa. He writes and performs with his band Otto & The Mutapa Calling, and teaches music from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana through his cultural arts and events company, Taste of Southern Africa. He is also a published author with a 1st Class Master of Arts Honours Degree in International Management.
