"The Joy of Playing Marimba"

The Singing Wood Marimba Centre is the physical expression of my own personal love of marimba playing. Its mission is to make the joy of marimba playing accessible to all who are drawn to it.

I am a classically trained percussionist with roots in classical (chromatic) marimba and decades of experience teaching and arranging for traditional "Western" percussion ensembles. I connected powerfully with the Zimbabwean Shona style of marimba playing when I moved to Santa Cruz in 1997 -- studying with Tom Melkonian and Don Davidson and performing with the local marimba ensemble of that time. I established Singing Wood in 2002 in order to offer broad access to the Shona style of marimba ensemble playing -- the instruments and the style as originally conveyed in North America through the teachings of Shona master musician Dumisani Maraire -- and as evolved in the years since. This music offers exceptional melodic and polyrhythmic variety -- from the very simple to the extremely complex -- and its ancient spiritual roots strike common chords in all people who are open to it. A glorious learning experience and playing experience is what Singing Wood aspires to be...

Come be a part of it!

Laura Mallon, Founder