Trillium Marimba Ensemble
TrilliumMarimbaEnsemble
March, 2008
Trillium Marimba Ensemble was founded by Peter and Mikaela Swing in 2001, and together with their children, Quianna (12) and Raven (9), they form the core of this family centered band. The eight- piece ensemble is completed by our most advanced fellow students-our extended family. We blend our background in folk, classical and ragtime music with our love and years of study in the music of Zimbabwe. We have a smaller band, also available focusing on guitar, voice and just a few marimba’s. Our sound is festive and thoughtful music with roots in Zimbabwe. To watch our ensemble with your eyes is a delight in itself with young people and people of all ages playing intricate rhythms and melodies together.
Biography
In 1988, we found our way to Zimbabwean music by different means, but at the
same time and place. Echo Theatre in Portland, Oregon is a fond memory for
us as we found ourselves there over and over again playing music and dancing.
We both were members of Boka Marimba and Peter eventually became Music
Director, beginning his love of composition and arrangement.
Boka Marimba emerged out of a series of workshops with Dumisani ("Dumi"
Maraire, a master musician from Zimbabwe. Dumi often wondered aloud, if it was possible for people outside his culture to take it seriously enough to really get it--"You have to live it" he would say. Though Dumi has passed away, his guiding spirit and keen musical intelligence remains a cornerstone of Trillium's music. At Echo Theatre Mikaela found dance as she had never known it before and became a quick enthusiast for mbira music and song from Zimbabwe. During this seminal period she had a passion to understand tribal life, with family playing a central role. She began a life-long journey into the heart of that
elusive thing called "community". She perceived the central role of music in
creating and holding a community together.
For eight years in Portland, we lived, ate and drank the music of Zimbabwe.
We moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico with our one year old, Quianna, in 1996,
responding to the call of Peter's childhood friend, Dan Pauli, to join his marimba band, which became "Jaka". With a leap of faith, we devoted all of our time to becoming music professionals, using village as a model to live by. Peter was enthusiastically welcomed for the marimba music he could effectively share--especially with youth--and for his skill as a craftsman building marimbas. Tatenda Youth Marimba Ensemble naturally formed around the marimba music. These kids, their parents and the Swings all joined in their love for Zimbabwean music and created an exciting musical group that lasted 6 fruitful years.
With Mikaela as the community organizer (in the midst of being a full-time mom and birthing our second child, Raven, in 1999) we founded Tatenda Music Center. Quianna and Raven have grown up in a village-like atmosphere, with Zimbabwean music always in the air. With newly purchased land just south of Santa Fe we now have a land base where we extend our work.
The powerful call of the muses-- southern African, European and American-- grows ever stronger, revealing more depth and understanding of this musical conversation of joy, beauty and overcoming adversity which Trillium Marimba Ensemble joins. It is this we desire to share with you.