Evelyn Mukwedeya is a talented Zimbabwean mbira musician, singer/songwriter and teacher based in Toronto, Canada. From a young age, Evelyn pursued studies in classical piano, clarinet and music theory at the Mutare School of Music, in her home city of Mutare. With the encouragement and support of her mother, she added mbira dzevadzimu (mbira of the ancestors) to her musical studies when traditional Zimbabwean instruments were introduced to the schoolin 2003. After relocating to Toronto with her family in late 2004, she continued to improve her craft by intensively listening to mbira recordings, particularly those of Stella Chiweshe, the Magaya family and Mbira DzeNharira. With years of playing experience and continuous study, Evelyn has grown into a mature performer of many of the traditional songs in mbira repertoire. Over the years, she has shared the stage as a guest performer with many of Toronto’s Zimbabwean music bands and with legendary Zimbabwean musicians such as Stella Chiweshe and Thomas Mapfumo, some of her greatest musical influences. Evelyn is a founding member of the Toronto-based group, Nhapitapi Mbira, which presents traditional Zimbabwean music and dance. She is also an active member of African Women Acting (AWA), a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “empower women and African cultural heritage through African arts & female artistes”.

(photo copyright Werner Puntigam)