Early in 2024, HHCA Fine Arts students had the rare opportunity to hear and learn from multi-generational pianist Tuffus Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a pianist, composer, educator, and keyboardist in the Saturday Night Live house band. He is also the assistant musical director for Trilogy: an Opera Company.

Zimbabwe comes from a long line of well-known musicians. His grandmother Mildred Jenkins was a professional vocalist, studying at the Sorbonne in Paris and the New England Conservatory. Mildred was the sister of Edmund Thornton Jenkins (1894-1926), the earliest major innovator and influencer of the Charleston Jazz style, which rose to global prominence in the 1920s. Mildred and Edmund were born to the Rev. Daniel Joseph Jenkins and Lena James, who founded the Jenkins Orphanage in 1891 in Charleston and the world-famous Jenkins Orphanage Bands.

During his time on the HHCA campus, Zimbabwe performed for our Middle School and Upper School Fine Arts students and then held an interactive workshop with the Upper School Eagles Jazz Band, telling our musicians more about his experience in the music industry. At the end, the Eagles Jazz Band had the opportunity to play for Zimbabwe.

In addition to visiting HHCA, Zimbabwe performed with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra while in the Lowcountry.