This festive season, the South Africa/America Music Exchange (SAME) is bringing Mzansi the biggest global music exchange experience featuring some of the world’s best composers and musicians.
Themed the “Sounds and Words of Remembrance Honouring Nelson Mandela”, this musical extravaganza will feature international jazz violin sensation Regina Carter, local superstar Siya Makuzeni, a 60-piece orchestra, an 80-piece choir and a 40-piece Marimba band from Education Africa’s very own Marimba Hubs programme’s full orchestra.
The concert also features Gayelynn McKinney, (US), Siya Makuzeni (South Africa), Chantal Willie-Peterson (South Africa), Ulagh Williams (South Africa), Dizu Plaatjies (South Africa), composer Ed Sarath, and conductors Eddie Clayton and Gareth Williams.
“Sounds and Words of Remembrance Honouring Nelson Mandela” is set to take place at the Guy Butler Theatre in Makhanda, Eastern Cape on Sunday, December 4, before heading to Wits Linder Auditorium, in Joburg, on Thursday, December 8.
True to Madiba, this initiative seeks to amplify the spirit of unity and collaboration, through music.
Elaborating on the inspiration behind the musical showcase, Education Africa’s Joan Lithgow said: “Ed Sarath, the composer of the piece of music called “His Day Is Done,” wrote on Maya Angelou’s poem of the same name, and wanted to have it performed in South Africa.
“Maya Angelou wrote the poem in 2013 just after Mandela’s passing … Ed saw the poem and he was inspired to write a big composition for the choir, orchestra and jazz, and African percussion ensembles.
“Ed then contacted Education Africa to discuss the curation of the project. And in addition, we have a high reputation in South Africa as an organisation that believes in social cohesion and social justice.
“They felt our organisation was the right organisation to partner with. Also, we have a really wonderful Marimba programme which is going to be featured in the programme.
“We regard this whole South Africa/America music exchange as a movement rather than just a little concert or big concert.
“We see it as something that is going to be changing perceptions about music, bringing two diverse cultures, the American culture and the South African cultures together, bringing musicians from different cultures together on one stage and presenting something that is unique,” Lithgow said.
On what music lovers can expect from the two shows, Lithgow said: “In 2016, Ed came to South Africa and performed his original composition with a small orchestra and choir at the Nelson Mandela University.
“And having done that he then decided to revise the whole composition and add a whole lot of music to the composition. And so what we are getting to hear is, is a new version of ‘His Day is Done’.”
In addition to the two musical experiences in Makhanda and Joburg, SAME will present two discussion meetings titled “Black Music Matters” at the Nelson Mandela University on the anniversary of Mandela’s passing, on December 5, and the regional workshop entitled “Improvisation without Borders” that will take place at Unisa on December 9.
“There are also going to be workshops, especially around Education Africa Marimba Hub, so that there is a true exchange of knowledge so that they (Americans) can learn from us (South Africans) and we can learn from them.”
The Marimba Hubs programme features young marimba players who learn the art of music, and the Marimba – a skill they would otherwise not have acquired due to their impoverished surroundings.
These bands include the Masibambane College from Orange Farm; John Wesley Community Centre from Etwatwa; Dominican School For Deaf Children in Hammanskraal (the only deaf marimba band in the world); MCK Special Needs School from Lenasia; Sekampaneng Primary from Hammanskraal, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Vrededorp and Protea Glen; Goede Hoop from Reiger Park as well as the Alumni All Stars Marimba Band.
Established in 1992, Education Africa is a non-profit organisation that strives to uplift and assist disadvantaged South Africans in their quest to obtain a quality, relevant education to ensure that they are in a position to become global citizens and a competitive, productive element in the local job market.