African Music Education for Alberta Schools and Communities
Yegmarimba brings authentic Zimbabwean marimba education into Alberta classrooms, community spaces, and school stages. Through rhythm, collaboration, and cultural storytelling, students don’t just learn about African music — they play it together.
Of the Marimba. For Everyone.
Yegmarimba is Zimbabwean marimba tradition style programming aimed for schools and community music education. Led by Clayton Pasi Gunguwo, it draws on more than a decade of African music education experience across Canadian schools, festivals, and communities — from Ontario to British Columbia to Alberta. At its peak in BC, the Jabulani World Music programme reached 250 students, proving the model works when it is rooted, consistent, and community-supported.
Yegmarimba is now building that same foundation in Alberta — one school, one ensemble, one rhythm at a time.
Zimbabwean Style Marimba — The Instrument
Marimbas are xylophone-like instruments made with wooden keys, often crafted from African hardwoods such as padauk, mahogany, or wenge. Each instrument carries its own voice — soprano, tenor, baritone, or bass — and each voice plays its own specific part and rhythm within the ensemble.
When played together, these interlocking parts combine to form layered harmonies, melodies, and rhythms that are instantly recognizable, joyful, and powerful. A full marimba orchestra typically features three sopranos, two tenors, and one each of the baritone and bass marimbas — all anchored by the hosho, a gourd shaker that centres the ensemble and holds the collective rhythm.
This music is participatory by nature. It is meant to be played together, not performed at a distance. Students of all ages and backgrounds find it immediately accessible — in just one session, participants are often surprised and delighted to discover they can learn and perform a complete song as a group.
School Programme Tiers
Introductory School Visit
Single Class • One Session • 45–60 Minutes
A single-class introduction to Zimbabwean marimba music. Students learn about the instrument, its cultural origins, and participate in a guided rhythm activity. Ideal for schools exploring African music education for the first time, or as a standalone cultural programming experience.
Best for: Cultural awareness programming, Black History Month, Africa Day, single-subject bookings
Interactive Marimba Workshop
Half-Day or Full-Day • One or Two Classes • Up to 60 Students
Our signature school programme. Students are introduced to the marimba ensemble through performance, then participate directly in playing an African rhythm as a group. By the end of the session, students perform together. Available as a half-day (one class) or full-day (two classes) booking, in classroom or gymnasium format.
Best for: Black History Month programming, school-wide cultural events, music class enrichment, grade-level visits
Zimbabwe Music Residency
Multi-Day • Deep Curriculum Integration • Culminating Performance
A multi-day residency experience that brings Zimbabwean music into your school across several sessions, building student skill and cultural understanding progressively. The residency concludes with a culminating performance involving students, inviting parents and the school community to witness what has been learned. The deepest and most impactful Yegmarimba offering.
Best for: Schools seeking sustained curriculum integration, arts residency programming, community-facing events
Curriculum Connections
Yegmarimba programmes align with Alberta’s Music Program of Studies and support cross-curricular learning outcomes across several subject areas. The following connections support curriculum-based justification for school bookings from Grades 2 through 12.
Why African Music in Alberta Schools?
Alberta’s growing African and Caribbean communities represent one of the fastest-changing demographics in Edmonton and Calgary. Music education is one of the strongest existing pathways for bringing authentic African cultural content into the classroom — not as a supplement, but as a genuine, skills-based learning experience that engages all students. Yegmarimba does not wait for curriculum policy to catch up. We build the bridge now, through music.
What Schools Are Saying:
About the Programme Director
Clayton Pasi Gunguwo
Founder & Programme Director, Yegmarimba | Executive Director, Izwi Lethu Arts Society
Clayton Pasi Gunguwo is a Zimbabwean-Canadian musician, educator, composer, and cultural producer who has been bringing African music into Canadian schools and communities since arriving in Canada in 2001.
Trained in traditional Zimbabwean music and storytelling, Pasi has delivered marimba and mbira workshops across schools, festivals, and cultural institutions from coast to coast. In British Columbia, he co-founded the award-winning Jabulani World Music Society, which at its peak served 250 students through school-based African music programming.
Now based in Edmonton, Pasi founded Izwi Lethu Arts Society in 2023 and launched Yegmarimba as the organization’s school and community education arm. His approach is rooted in the belief that African music does not need to be translated or simplified to be taught — it is participatory, accessible, and transformative exactly as it is.
Community Marimba Ensemble
Play With Us At Our Weekly Community Ensemble
Youth, adults, and music educators. No experience required, all levels welcome
Saturdays, 10:00 AM–12:00 PM (or 2:00–4:00 PM)
At Brandenburg Music Store, 15907 100A Ave. NW,
Edmonton
Yegmarimba’s community marimba ensemble meets every Saturday at Brandenburg Music Store in Edmonton. Open to youth, adults, and music educators, the ensemble is a hands-on, welcoming space where players of all levels learn Zimbabwean marimba together.
No prior musical experience is required. Sessions are 2 hours and follow a structured but joyful learning approach rooted in Zimbabwean musical tradition and contemporary ensemble practice.
Request a Workshop
Bring Yegmarimba to Your School
Tell us about your school and what you are looking for. We will respond within 2 business days with a tailored workshop proposal that fits your students, your schedule, and your curriculum goals.