A musical highlight on the Cape Town entertainment calendar this month is the eagerly awaited "Women's Day" concert at the Cape Town City Hall on Wednesday, 17 August 2005.
This is a "unique" event because it will not only pay special tribute to the indigenous and traditional female artists of South Africa through the music of the Xhosa women, but will also merge traditional and classical music in one dynamic concert.
The concert is being staged by MIAGI - Music Is A Great Investment, formerly known as the ICMF, and its Artistic Director Robert Brooks has developed a fresh and appealing concept.
He says: "Throughout South African history, this form of music has never been given a proper platform - and this Women's Day concert will help change things."
Classical music has always had a high profile but it was Brooks' innovative concept to bring these two genres together in one exciting concert that is such a newsworthy event.
On the programme for this cross-cultural feast are the Ngqoko Women, a group of Xhosa overtone singers from Lady Frere, in the Eastern Cape, and Madosini, a famous Pondo artist who specialises in playing indigenous instruments. Added to this are the sweeping sounds of the MIAGI Ensemble, a group of classical musicians consisting of some of the most promising young talent complemented by more established and experienced players from South Africa.
Another creative dimension to the event is that two compositions, specially commissioned by MIAGI, will be performed. They are "The Songs of Madosini" and "Lifecycle," which were both successfully premiered at the ICMF 2002 and 2003 festivals.
The concert will be conducted by Hans Huyssen.
"The Songs of Madosini," arranged by Hans Huyssen, was also performed by the group in Europe during an ICMF international tour in 2003 and is bound to receive another rousing reception in Cape Town.
Brooks says: "What makes this concert so special is that we will be showing how the pure yet stunning form of Xhosa and classical music can be joined together in a composition such as 'The Songs of Madosini'.
A string quartet joined by a clarinettist, and a narrator who will recount Madosini's story will accompany these original songs composed by Madosini.
The 10-strong Ngqoko Women will perform "Lifecycle" written and arranged by South African composer, Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph. The group will perform on their drums and bows accompanied by the MIAGI Ensemble.
The concert will be staged, according to Brooks, "in a natural way" in order to bring out the best of both genres.
The sponsors for this event are Total, the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund, The Embassy of Finland (Primary Education Partner), the National Arts Council (NAC), Nokia and Fleet Africa.
It should be a night to remember!
THE NGQOKO WOMEN
The Ngqoko Women are a group of traditional Xhosa singers from Lady Frere in the Eastern Cape. They were formed in 1983 with the primary purpose of performing indigenous music and traditional dance. The group have performed nationally (including ICMF 2003) and in many European countries since 1989, including at the Sacred Voices Millennium Music Village in London.
In South Africa the Ngqoko Women performed with musicians from around the world. While in Geneva in 1994, the group produced a CD. In 1997 they produced another CD, called "Unity," with Pops Mohamed and the Khoisan people.
Even though the group has grown and changed considerably since its inception in 1983, their belief that their most vital role is to transfer the music to younger generations, remains the same. Today the Ngqoko Women consists of 10 members who range between the ages of 32 and 65.
MADOSINI
Madosini (Latozi Mphaleni) is popularly known in Pondoland as "the Veteran". She has devoted her life to keeping alive the musical tradition of her people. She not only plays the old material but also composes new material that is true to the traditions. Her music is unique not just in its scope but in the variety and range of feelings it evokes. She is respected in playing the uhadi, mhrube and isitolotolo (traditional instruments), and is a legend among her people in storytelling. Madosini has performed around the country (including ICMF 2002) and in Europe (including an ICMF organised tour of Germany and Austria in 2003).
VENUE: Cape Town City Hall
DATE: 17 August 2005, 20h00
TICKET PRICES: R45, R65, R90
BOOKINGS AT COMPUTICKET
Issued by Dlamini Weil Communications on behalf of MIAGI.
For more information contact;
Peter Feldman
Tel: +27 11 804 1485
E-mail: [email protected]
Posted on Wednesday 3 Aug 2005
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