Marimbas and Classes

The Zimbabwean marimba is a modern invention, assembled in the early 1960s at the Kwanangoma College of Music in Bulawayo, the largest city in southern Zimbabwe. The soprano and tenor marimbas have two octaves of keys, diatonic (the "white keys" of the piano") plus F#. The soprano, tenor, and baritone marimbas invented at Kwanangoma were augmented with a bass instrument by Dumi (Dumisani Maraire) when he began teaching marimba music in Seattle in the 1970s.


Made locally from hardwood, each marimba key is suspended above a resonator tube for amplification. The tubes are capped at the bottom and have a hole in the side or endcap covered with a thin membrane that buzzes during play, producing a full, earthy sound. Most often, ensembles of eight musicians produce the interlocking rhythms and melodic lines that are associated with this joyful, uplifting musical style.

A Victoria-based band, Marimba Muzuva, is largely responsible for popularizing the music in BC schools and communities.

Marimba classes for different levels and ages are offered through Britannia Community Centre during the school year. For more details, visit www.britanniacentre.org
Marimba and world musice classes are offered for children and youth at the Roundhouse during the “Lively Up Yourself” summer camp www.roundhouse.ca