The sights, sounds and rhythms of Africa
will come alive when the Indigenous Orchestra and Mbira Ensemble under the
directorship of Dizu Plaatjies and Bongani Sotshononda, takes to the
Artscape Theatre stage.
Plaatjies is a well-known African
historian and musician and is the founder and former leader of the
internationally celebrated marimba group, Amampondo. Sotshononda is an
internationally acclaimed chromatic marimba player, percussionist and
composer, who has wowed audiences locally and abroad for the past twenty
years. He also directed the ever-popular Marimba Extravaganza.
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The Indigenous Orchestra and Mbira
Ensemble is a project of the Artscape Indigenous Arts Department and
celebrates the history and evolution of indigenous instruments, while
honouring legendary musicians, who have for the past thirty years
dedicated their time and passion for performing, teaching and composing to
nurture young players. The project will also contribute to the shared
diverse culture and indigenous music as part of Heritage month
celebrations.
The orchestra will feature an eclectic
mix of indigenous music through to mainstream South African music and
jazz, accompanied by dancers and narrated through storytelling, which
tells the tale of how indigenous instruments were introduced to our
communities. Choreography for the production is by Sibonakaliso Ndaba.
Director, Bongani Sotshononda, becomes
very excited when explaining that the audience will have the rare
opportunity to hear a wide variety of indigenous instruments in one
performance. “They can experience the sounds of the Kora, Mbira, Uhadi
(mouth harp), Umrhube, Stolotolo, Marimba, traditional bongo drums and the
Akadinda”.
Guest artists include the well-loved jazz
band, Incredible Brass from Nyanga, vocalist, Mtika, guitarist Louw Bubeka,
Cyril Ngcukana on keyboard and Amampondo.
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