Nobuntu. Courtesy CALTECH
Caltech Public Programming presents Nobuntu on Friday, November 11, at 8:00 p.m. PT at Beckman Auditorium on the Caltech campus as part of its 2022 CaltechLive! performance series. Nobuntu, the female a cappella quintet from Zimbabwe, has drawn international acclaim for its inventive performances that range from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro jazz to gospel. The ensemble’s concerts are performed with pure voices augmented by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments, such as the Mbira (thumb piano), and energetic, authentic dance movements.
“We had intended to present Nobuntu this past January 2022, but due to the pandemic we had to reschedule. We are excited to have them finally onstage this fall at Beckman Auditorium—spreading their music and joy while opening our eyes and ears to African traditional and contemporary songs and dances,” said Michael Alexander, Caltech’s director of public programming.
The word Nobuntu is an African concept that values humbleness, love, unity, and family from a woman’s perspective. The ensemble represents a new generation of young African women singers who celebrate and preserve their culture, beauty, and heritage through art. The ensemble’s mission is the belief that music can be an important vehicle for change, one that transcends racial, tribal, religious, gender, and economic boundaries.
Tickets are $35 general admission, with a family incentive that includes $10 tickets for youths with the purchase of a $35 adult admission. They can be purchased online at events.caltech.edu/series/caltechlive-performing-arts/nobuntu or by calling the Caltech Ticket Office at (626) 395-4652 Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT.
Over the last few seasons, the quintet has performed at festivals and concert halls in Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and throughout the African continent. The ensemble was a huge critical success at festivals such as Trans-Vocal in Frankfurt and Voice Mania in Vienna. The group’s first tour to Canada in 2016 included performances in Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Victoria.
Nobuntu has released three recordings: Thina in 2013, Ekhaya in 2016, and Obabes beMbube in 2018. The group has made dozens of television and radio appearances throughout Africa and Europe promoting these recordings and the culture of their homeland.
Nobuntu was nominated for Best Musician of the Year at the Zimbabwe International Women’s Awards in London in 2015 and are currently a two-time winner for the Best Imbube Group at the Bulawayo Arts Awards 2017 and 2019.
Back at home, Nobuntu supports a number of community initiatives, including The Nobuntu Pad Bank, where they provide health support for young women in the arts from underprivileged communities.
