This night is going to be HUGE!

When Chris Berry and his band Panjea give concerts in South Africa, they sell out whole stadiums!

On March 26th Chris will be performing with Tamani, a West African drum troupe form Auckland, and choir from the Muse Community Trust singing songs from Zimbabwe

Here is the poster for the evening,

Chris is going to lead a choir workshop at the Muse, inside the School of Music at 140 Barbadoes Street in Christchurch.

Here are the details,

Chris has worked with over 42 different choirs in the USA and Canada. Songs are accompanied by live drumming, Mbira (Thumb piano) or Marimba. The material is drawn from the ancient choral traditions of the Shona people whose favourite proverb is, ‘if you can talk you can sing.’ The uplifting songs include five part harmonies and lots of counter point indicative of most African choral music.

After 23 years of study, initiation & immersion in African music, Chris Berry has been Given the name Gwenyambira “one whose music calls the spirit”. A distinction reserved only for those who have mastered both the complexity & magic of the music. Now based in New York & touring regularly with his incredible world fusion dance band PANJEA,Chris advised by many of Zimbabwe’s spirit mediums has embarked on an international journey to share the ancient knowledge of Njinji using storytelling music, drum and dance. It is the hope that people around the globe will become practitioners of this powerful healing art form & use it as a means of strengthening ourselves, our communities & ultimately restoring balance & joy back into our societies.

THURSDAY  MARCH 25th     Venue- Muse Community Trust 140 Barbadoes Street, Level 3, inside the School of Music

6PM TO 9PM COST $30        Booking Essential

Further information:

Ra McRostie 03 434 8224  or mob 021 1154884

Jeff Duyndam 03 357 22217 mob 0210 273 7514

Everyone is welcome at the African Dance, Drum, and Music workshop with Chris Berry March 27 and 28, 2010

Come learn the healing rhythms, songs, and dances with drums and mbira and storytelling taught by Chris Berry

After 23 years of study, initiation & immersion in African music, Chris Berry has been Given the name Gwenyambira “one whose music calls the spirit”. A distinction reserved only for those who have mastered both the complexity & magic of the music. Now Based in New York & touring regularly with his incredible world fusion dance band PANJEA, Chris, advised by many of Zimbabwe spirit mediums has embarked on an international journey to share the ancient knowledge of Njinji using storytelling music, drum,  and dance. It is the hope that people around the globe will become practitioners of this powerful healing art form & use it as a means of strengthening ourselves, our communities & ultimately restoring balance & joy back into our societies

Music, drumming, dance, craft and knowledge will be taught at the Workshop that will be used in the final ceremony on the Sunday evening. The ceremony will be one of cleansing, healing and re-connecting with our deeper selves. The structure of the ceremony will be based around the four elements and directions whose sacredness is shared by many cultures around the world.  The emphasis will move from acquiring more dances and rhythms to using music and dance as a catalyst to the sacred.

The people of Zimbabwe use the M’Bira as a way of calling the Ancestral Spirits and Chris uses it as a powerful tool in his storytelling to immerse the listener in the deeply meaningful journey that these stories can take you on.

Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm    Yaldhurst Memorial Hall, corner of Yaldhurst and Pound Rd, Christchurch,

Map here for Saturday venue

Sunday, 10 am – 10 pm at North New Brighton War Memorial and Community Centre, 93 Marine Parade, New Brighton

Map here for Sunday venue

COST:   $170  Earlybird rate ( $200 After March1st)

Deposit: $80 (non refundable, to confirm your place)

Further information: Ra Mc Rostie 03 434 8224  or mob 021 1154884

or Jeff Duyndam 03 357 2217 or mob 021 02737514

Email:   ra@korudance.com   jeffduyndam@xtra.co.nz

Website: www.drumtalk.co.nz