Sacred Heart College to host marimba festival

With funding from the National Lotteries Commission, the Marimba Education Foundation will partner with Sacred Heart College, a school in Observatory which boasts a long and significant tradition of liberal education and activism.

Celebrated for offering support and scholarships to the children of returning exiles, and for its philosophy of ‘education for the common good’ and ‘service of others rather than the service of self’, the college is the perfect venue for this special edition of the National Marimba Festival.

“The festival caters for all ages, from primary to high school, from amateur to professional, from pure instrumentals to marimbas combined with vocals and dancing,” said Hilde Gordon, director of the Marimba Education Foundation.

“Past festivals have seen close to 1 000 enthusiastic players from more than 30 institutions from across the country making the journey to the festival. We are currently taking applications for this year’s festival which promises to set a new benchmark.”

The festival provides an expressive platform for all exponents of this increasingly popular instrument. Although the festival takes the form of a competition, the greater outcome of it lies in the cross-pollination of ideas, styles and repertoire which inspires the players and educators to reach higher and higher levels of creative excellence in marimba playing.

“The camaraderie of marimba players as they come together to celebrate and delight in their performances is heartwarming on every level,” Gordon said.

“We believe that the festival will be one of great significance. It seems fitting and humbling to be able to honour the sacrifices of the past by celebrating the extraordinary promise of our youth of today.

“These young artists truly inspire with their commitment and musicianship. This festival is a wonderful showcase of youth arts, which is so important on every level,” she said.

A heightened sense of celebration, community and collaboration underscores the festival.

The warm sound of the mallets on the reverberating keys has become a familiar soundtrack for so many occasions in South Africa; from school functions to corporate events, from arts festivals to ceremonial welcomes for heads of state, and this is the sound that will reverberate from Sacred Heart College on 16 June during the 9th National Marimba Festival.

Details: 082 896 7189; hilde@mef.org.za