The founder of Bandarimba Arts is one of the few local makers of traditional musical instruments such as the mbira (deaf piano), hosho (rattles) and ngoma (traditional drums).
BY TENDAI SAUTA Maxwell Mbukuro, a local marimba player and maker of African musical instruments, says there is a shortage of traditional musical instruments locally.
The founder of Bandarimba Arts is one of the few local makers of traditional musical instruments such as the mbira (deaf piano), hosho (rattles) and ngoma (traditional drums).
He developed a passion for making musical instruments during his musical studies at Mutare Polytechnic and Zimbabwe College of Music in Harare.
“Traditional musical instruments are in short supply as their demand in schools, churches and the secular world continues to increase,” he said, calling for grants and funding to be channeled towards the making of traditional musical instruments. musical instruments to meet demand.
“Musical instruments are like furniture that should be in every home. Amidst these shortages, I want to become the best African traditional musical instrument maker in the near future.
Mbukuro said he improved his marimba playing skills during a stint with famed mbira player Hope Masike’s Kakuwe Band as a marimba soprano and backing vocalist.
“My musical vocation was enhanced when I participated in the Umoja festival in Mozambique under the Zimbabwe College of Music in 2010 playing marimba, mbira and ngoma,” he said.
“That was after I joined Kakuwe Band in 2010. We recorded the Mbira, Love and Chocolate album in 2013, and we haven’t looked back since.”
As part of Masike’s band, Mbukuro has performed at high profile events such as the Harare International Arts Festival, the birthday of the late former President Robert Mugabe and toured the Harare region. Southern Africa.
“As I grew musically, I then left Masike’s band in 2014 to pursue a teaching career in Nyanga where I recorded several teaching and performance successes,” he said. -he declares.
Mbukuro now works occasionally with the Solon Foundation as a marimba, mbira and dance entertainer.
“My desire is to maintain good performances, to teach traditional Zimbabwean dances and to play instruments in schools,” he added.
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