It’s an exciting year for music on the Festival’s Main stages as Featured Artist, Neo Muyanga, leads the charge through a programme filled with tradition, innovation and experimentation. Another exciting programme highlight is Standard Bank Young Artist for Music 2017, Abel Selaocoe.
Neo Muyanga’s solo work, Solid(T)Ary Work, promises a survey of the tradition of protest song in the global south: moving swiftly between the chanted chorales of Soweto and Salvador to the laments around the squares of Tahrir and Meskel, the presentation is a musical contemplation of modes of resistance in a world hit by flux. Muyanga will also present a collection of songs and music through a trio comprised of Andre Swartz, Peter Ndlala and Eastern Cape-born artist Msaki. Msaki, recently nominated for a South African Music Award (SAMA), also performs with her band the Golden Circle in Platinumb Heart, an exploration of trauma and its ability to ossify, alienate and elude one into thinking one is coping. ‘The heart merely becomes numb as we move on to the next #trending issue without a chance to mourn or the time to heal,’ says Msaki.
The heart merely becomes numb as we move on to the next #trending issue without a chance to mourn or the time to heal
The Standard Bank Young Artist for Music in 2017, Abel Selaocoe, celebrates a much-anticipated return visit to South Africa after an extended time spent playing on top international stages. Selaocoe’s Festival offering will explore the virtuosity of the cello and his diverse musicianship, ranging from Debussy’s poetic and vivid Cello Sonata to James Macmillan’s spiritual reflective music – ending with foot stomping Klezmer and African style inspired pieces. Off the back of the release of their debut number 1 charting collaboration, Kahn Morbee and Karen Zoid will present one concert only of We Could Be Divine, their new collaboration and a songwriting process Kahn describes as ‘organic and effortless’. Another Festival favourite is the Gala Concert; taking place on the closing weekend of the Festival this year, it will feature the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Richard Cock, with soloists Abel Selaocoe (cello) and Patrick Goodwin (violin). The CPO also presents the Symphony Concert, conducted by Bernhard Gueller with soloist Luis Magalhães (piano).
Defined as ‘Kasi Soul’, [The Soil’s] music is a blend of contemporary township style and an eclectic mix of urban contemporary, fusing beat box and soul
Double platinum selling a cappella group The Soil will present two concerts. Defined as ‘Kasi Soul’, their music is a blend of contemporary township style and an eclectic mix of urban contemporary, fusing beat box and soul. Ragtime Plus is an informative and highly accessible programme about ragtime music. Presented in France and Switzerland to great audience and critical response, it’s an ongoing and ever-evolving project that changes as creator Liza Joubert finds different pieces and new information to present to different audiences. The debut production by the award-winning Charl du Plessis Trio, Baroqueswing, returns from sold out tours in Europe and the Far-East, to perform in a series of Grahamstown concerts with famous melodies from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Bach’s Air on a G String and ‘Musette’ and ‘Minuet’ from Notenbüchlein für Anna Magdalena, amongst others. The National Youth Wind Orchestra’s Children’s Concert is a great way to introduce children to music and the orchestra with a relaxed and interactive concert of popular classics and South African favourites – children can meet the musicians in the National Youth Wind Orchestra, and a few familiar (or unfamiliar) instruments. Don’t forget that you can find the incredible Standard Bank Jazz Festival programme in the May issue of Creative Feel or online here.
organic and effortless
For a short guide navigating through the programme, check out: National Arts Festival programme open for booking or visit one of our pages:
[button color=”” size=”” type=”round” target=”” link=”http://creativefeel.co.za/2017/06/disruption-dissension-decency-disobedience-defiance”]FILM Disruption, Dissension, Decency, Disobedience & Defiance[/button]
[button color=”” size=”” type=”round” target=”” link=”http://creativefeel.co.za/2017/06/expect-the-unexpected/”]THEATRE Expect the unexpected[/button]
[button color=”” size=”” type=”round” target=”” link=”http://creativefeel.co.za/2017/06/tartuffe-is-the-story-of/”]TARTUFFE the story of…[/button]
[button color=”” size=”” type=”round” target=”” link=”http://creativefeel.co.za/2017/06/traditional-innovative-experimental”]MUSIC Traditional, innovative & experimental[/button]
[button color=”” size=”” type=”round” target=”” link=”http://creativefeel.co.za/2017/06/curious-furious-and-poetic/”]DANCE ‘Curious, furious and poetic’[/button]
[button color=”” size=”” type=”round” target=”” link=”http://creativefeel.co.za/2017/06/combining-the-historic-and-the-contemporary”]VISUAL/PERFORMANCE ART Combining the historic and the contemporary[/button]
