October 4, 2007
By Millicent Kgowedi
UNUSUAL combinations, uniquely South African sounds and talented youngsters are being mixed up at a concert celebrating the country's diverse musical heritage.
Metamorphosis is at the Great Hall at the University of the Witwatersrand on Saturday, 6 October, featuring the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra, Pops Mohamed, Phat Brass, the Radio Kalahari Orkes, the Johannesburg Symphonic Wind Band and the Johannesburg Jazz Youth Ensemble.
Explaining the impetus behind the concert, Nomalungelo Twala, the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company's publicist, says Metamorphosis is a celebration of new beginnings. A variety of musical styles, bringing together different musical cultures, will be performed.
The Johannesburg Youth Orchestra in rehearsal
"The concert is a combination of musical ensembles, talents, languages, artistic practices, places and people."
The programme ranges from classical and jazz music to the mixed sounds of Mohamed's unique use of indigenous music and instruments.
The Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company is a non-profit organisation that provides a musical home for young musicians. Started almost a decade ago, it has grown from a single group to several flourishing youth orchestras and more than 1 800 young musicians.
"The Metamorphosis concert showcases the versatility of the orchestra and the development of our musicians from all over Gauteng, with people from [around Johannesburg] coming together," Twala says.
Adding an unusual flavour is Kalahari Oasis's crew of Boet (Ian Roberts), Swaer (Norman Anstey) and Mogae (Fats Bookholane) and their band, the Radio Kalahari Orkes. It plays a variety of South African musical genres, from rock to kwaito, on banjo, harmonica, pennywhistle and violin.
Phat Brass, directed by jazz maestro John Davies, performs a mix of classical and jazz standards. The brass band re-works two classical pieces, Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D Minor and Joseph-Maurice Ravel's famous Bolero.
Along with the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra, the band performs jazz arrangements of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus and of some Bach pieces, as well as music from around the world.
Metamorphosis is on Saturday, 6 October at the Wits Great Hall. The concert starts with a cocktail party at 6.30pm, with the performance at 7.30pm.
Tickets cost R100 each and are available at Computicket outlets, on 083 915 8000 or through the Computicket website. For more information, contact the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company on 011 484 1257.
On the following day, Sunday, 7 October, Discover The Orchestra takes place at the Great Hall. "This is more of an educational concert, where the audience will interact with the members of our orchestra," explains Susan Harrop-Allin, the orchestra company's education officer.
They will be introduced to the different orchestra instruments, taught how to handle them and how to sit to play them. The concert is mainly aimed at youngsters who are interested in classic music.
It starts at 2.30pm and costs R10 a person.
Pops Mohamed
Mohamed's ambition is to keep alive traditional sounds - from mbaqanga to kwela and marabi. He is a master of a variety of indigenous instruments, such as the birimbau; didgeridoo, from Australia; kora, or West African harp; African mouth bow; and mbira, or Zimbabwean thumb piano. He also tinkles on the keyboard and strums the guitar.
Pops Mohamed shows a young musician how to play the mouth bow
He has travelled widely, recording ancient music around the world and producing what has come to be known as world music. Through his work, he strives to preserve ancient instruments and performance techniques.
Radio Kalahari Orkes debuted at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK) in Oudtshoorn in 2005, and has since garnered a dedicated fan base countrywide.
Boet, Swaer, Mogae and their band sing, play the harmonica, do the riel, dance and play guitar, in a style they call avant boer.
It is unique and truly South African, influenced by the full repertoire of South African music, from ghoema to rock; kwaito to boeremusiek. Instruments used include guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, pennywhistle, accordion, violin, drums and pedal steel guitar.
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