Mikaela Marget and I are beginning our third year teaching as a duo called Heliopsis. This year, we will be changing up the instruments that we use and the style of our teaching, bringing in more storytelling and the African string instruments with greater emphasis. We will continue to play original music for various traditional …
Continue reading “YourClassical MPR Class Notes for the 2023-2024 Season”
Mikaela Marget and I have enjoyed MPR Class Notes so much that we are signing up for a second year teaching as a duo called Heliopsis, creating improvisational works featuring Timbila, Mbira, and Cello. When choosing a duo name, Mikaela Marget and Nyttu Chongo wanted something that reflected joy and light. They settled on Heliopsis, the …
Continue reading “YourClassical MPR Class Notes for the 2022-2023 Season”
Last night’s performance at the the Cedar Cultural Center’s 2022 Cedar Commissions was an incredible time of celebration of many things: Home, our Ancestors, Pain, Loss, and the Connections we have with each other. It was my joy to present Nkovu Wa Xivavu, “A Celebration of Pain” on the Cedar’s stage. With just three months …
I am so grateful and honored to be featured this year as one of the Cedar Cultural Center’s 2022 Cedar Commission artists. This Friday, I will be performing Nkovu Wa Xivavu, which means “A Celebration of Pain” on the Cedar’s stage at around 8:30PM, between two other amazing artists who are also commissioned artists for …
On September 16, 2021 the preview of our duo’s edition of Class Notes with MPR made its debut. I have been collaborating with the wonderful Mikaela Marget as a duo called Heliopsis over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating improvisational works featuring Timbila, Mbira, and Cello. When choosing a duo name, Mikaela Marget …
Continue reading “YourClassical MPR Class Notes for the 2021-2022 Season”
The CD release celebration on 6/30/2021 was a special day for me–thank you to the 45 individuals who stopped by to listen to my album and celebrate life together. It was such a joyful day, and I was honored to have each of you there. A special thanks to the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts …
Continue reading “Thank you to all who supported the LIBANDZUWA CD release”
This album is highly personal. It lifts up the joys and anguish of being an artist and musician in a world that values productivity. It is both a celebration of life and a cry for help, it is both a prayer for peace and a call for justice. I believe that I was called to …
Continue reading “About LIBANDZUWA, My Album Being Released Next Wednesday”
Today was a beautiful celebration of resilience and culture at CAPI’s Twin Cities World Refugee Day, held virtually this year. I was honored to be able to perform several pieces for the celebration, marking my fourth year participating in this special festival. This was the first recurring event that I was invited to perform at …
What a joy to be a part of the first virtual Minneapolis International Festival hosted by the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board. This event is usually one held in person in the beautiful parks of our city, but due to COVID-19 we moved the platform to a virtual environment. Nearly 300 people have streamed my …
This has been…a remarkable year, to put it lightly. I regret my silence here on my blog, because it has been an eventful year for me in many ways. I have been busy recording my first album, Libandzuwa: The Power of the Sun, which has been delayed slightly but is set for release mid-year next …
