What We Do
Music Production
Recording
Instrument Production
Artist Residency
About Nzango Art Residency
The focus of our projects is to enable research and documentation of an older generation of traditional musicians and their sounds. We also work on musical creation, technical studio workshops to train local musicians and those from the southern region and in the circulation of new music from these meetings, through the recording of CDs as well as the dissemination of work on digital platforms. Visiting artists enjoy a safe space for the independent, non-governmental and autonomous realization of their projects and have the chance to further develop their artistic work. Over the years, cooperation with artists from across the African continent and other parts of the world has consolidated and paved the way for new collaborations, increasing the visibility and international projection of Mozambican and African music.
With regard to the internal context of Mozambique, the Nzango Artist Residency is one of the few cultural institutions in the country that provides adequate infrastructure for artistic residencies with food and accommodation, professional recording studio, space for rehearsals and shows, as well as services such as transport management and social communications. Furthermore, the geographic location of the Nzango Artist Residency in Matola, a city neighboring the capital Maputo, is of crucial importance, as at the same time as we remain connected to central urban flows, we expand them to peripheral areas, streamlining them and increasing the reach of our projects for the Mozambican and global community.
About construction and repair of traditional Mozambican instruments
Meet
The Team
Matchume Zango
founder, artistic director, musician and composer
Matchume Zango is a master timbila player, percussionist, composer and producer from Maputo, Mozambique. He holds a Masters degree in Music Performance from the University of Cape Town, where he was also a faculty member. Zango has received financial support for many projects, including his study of indigenous cultural practices in Mozambique, from international donor agencies such as Pro Cultura, Pro Helvetia, the Goethe Foundation, FUNDAC and Music in Africa.
Bela Zango
singer, dancer and administrator of the Nzango residence and studio
Born in Maputo in an artistic family with musician parents. She started dancing at the age of 12 in the group "Ngalanga" of Unit 7. Later she was part of the National Company of Song and Dance and later came to join the dance group "Amor da Noite" where she participated in several national and international digressions. Bela was invited to various musical formations as a chorister for some tours in Portugal and France. In addition, Timbila Muzimba has been asked to participate in local concerts in Mozambique.
Lais Volpe
Project and Social Media Manager, Executive Producer
Environmental art educator, geographer (Universidade Federal Fluminense), postgraduate in community-based cultural policies (FLACSO), master's student at PPCULT-UFF (Universidade Federal Fluminense). Member of the Women's Empowerment Movement Baque Mulher Niterói (BR). She is a cultural producer and has been working since 2017 in artistic collaborations between Mozambique, Brazil and other parts of the world. He is currently researching the historical relationships between Portuguese-speaking LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as their artistic and cultural manifestations.
