Youth Ensembles
With the energy and enthusiasm only a group of kids could bring, these youngsters continually captivate their audiences with skill and professionalism beyond their years.
Members build musicianship skills while also developing an understanding of African music and cultures. The ensembles are an excellent opportunity for kids to see firsthand how commitment and dedication can produce amazing results. Children meet once (Vana Vedu) or twice (Shamwari and Tamba!) weekly to rehearse and refine material and skills.
Children in this program started by taking weekly, one-hour group marimba classes. When instructors felt students were ready, students were invited to participate in a twice weekly, two-hour youth performance audition class to prepare them for the rigors (and fun!) of a much larger commitment. When openings became available in the youth performance program, selected children were invited to join. This process is a long-term commitment and children in this program rarely leave before graduating from high school, when they also graduate from the youth performance program.
Shamwari is:
Albert Brown
Charlie Davies
Whitaker Fanestil
Sawyer Hammond
James Hastie
Gabriel Jacobson
Claire Kruger
Sabine von Lersner
Tamba! is:
Wilson Fanestil
Joe Goodhew
Jack Jackson
Taylor Kiyota
Jesse Larson
Nina Picher Allan
Anna Smith
Brianna Wilson
Vana Vedu is:
Sierra Benedetto
Aleanna Collins
John Goodhew
Jake Goulder
Maggie Jackson
Maxwell Larson
Jessica Tierney
Mackenzie Tierney
Luke Waldner
In the Shona language of Zimbabwe,
Shamwari means "Friends"
Tamba! means "Playing Together"
Vana Vedu means "Our Children"
Click Hereto check out more examples of their music!
We gave up our Friday afternoons just to play and hang out with each other; we spent countless late nights packing and loading instruments; we even gave up sleeping in for early mornings to catch flights to perform in new places for new people. I know that every single member of Shamwari is truly committed and has their heart and soul (not to mention a lot of blisters) invested in this amazing program.. -
Davis F., age 19, Shamwari alumni
You have so much to be proud of in the children . . . thank you so much for all the love and time you give to them. Brianna is very happy to be part of Tamba! -
Joyce W., Tamba! parent
Charlie absolutely loves playing marimbas at Kutandara Center; it is his passion and was his idea to play the moment he first saw Shamwari. We are thrilled to support him in the youth performance program -
Jeff D., Shamwari parent
