By: Gus Morris

Who: Gary Spalter

Where: Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center

What they do: Director and Teacher at Kutsinhira

Impact:  The intent of this group is to keep Zimbabwean music and culture alive. Even though they are not really well known in Eugene, they have quite an impact within the small community of musicians and locals that are familiar with them. For many members, they consider the weekly classes and get-togethers a break from the monotony of everyday life. It gives them a release, an escape from the real world. So not only are they spreading culture and music, but also giving people an outlet.

Funding: All their funding comes from donations, class expenses, and concessions from performances

Success story:  Like I said before, the intention of the group is to keep Zimbabwean culture alive, but the true impact of this group comes from the community that it has built over the years. One such example comes from a student, Conrad, who has been a part of Kutsinhira for a vast majority of his life. Conrad started at Kutsinhira when he was 6. Now, a senior in high school, Conrad is still playing at Kutsinhira. Like many of the members who have stayed for years, he has found a family in music.

Parting words: “I think a lot of adults do it just as something different in their lives. It’s something to do other than their job or family life. It gets them out of them out of the home, it gets them to play something musical, and it gets them to be a little more creative. As a teacher that’s something that really inspires me is the people who just get joy playing it.”  – Gary Spalter