Ambuya Beauler Dyoko & Cosmas Magaya

Beauler Dyoko, known in Zimbabwe as the "Queen of Mbira Music," is Zimbabwe's first woman mbira recording artist.

She is leader and featured singer with the popular contemporary mbira ensemble, The Black Souls, and has regularly been invited to perform a traditional song to open the Zimbabwean Parliament. She has also performed with Mhuri yekwa Rwizi/Soul of Mbira groups for many years in Zimbabwe and throughout the world.

Beauler is also a spirit medium, an herbalist, fashion designer, and teacher of traditional Shona cooking. Beauler is an active member of organizations promoting women musicians in Zimbabwe, and has written original songs in support of AIDS awareness and non-violence. She is the sole supporter of a large extended family of grandchildren, nieces and nephews in Zimbabwe.

 

Cosmas Magaya is leader of the mbira ensemble Mhuri yekwaMagaya. He is an internationally recognized mbira player and mbira teacher.

Cosmas has been an avid student and player of mbira dzaVadzimu from the time he was eight. Mr. Magaya is a master of the instrument, having studied with many great players. Cosmas has performed with the renowned Mhuri yekwa Rwizi mbira group for over 25 years, participating with them in concert tours of Europe and the US. He was instrumental in the writing of Paul Berliner's The Soul of Mbira in the 1970s, and continues to work closely with Dr. Berliner as a consultant on Zimbabwean music.

Cosmas's CV

 
 poster
 
 listen
 
schedule
 
 
 
 
        
 
 
             
                                                          Back to mbira page