The St Dominic’s steel band and the Goedehoop marimba band will be participating in the A Night at The Movies – Sounds of Celebration V In Concert at Emperors Palace’s Theatre of Marcellus on February 27.
For the past five years, Education Africa, a non-government organisation, has collaborated with Sydenham Shul in a unique partnership that uses music as its medium to uplift and inspire communities.
Between 2013 and 2017, the Sounds of Celebration project opened five marimba hubs – at Ithute, in Alexandra, the Zama Montessori School, Daveyton, the Boys and Girls Club of Protea Glen and its newest hubs in Hammanskraal and the Boys and Girls Club at Bertrams.
Joan Lithgow, marimba specialist and director of the International Marimba and Steelpan Festival, said: “This is a social cohesion initiative to bring children from all sectors of society together on one stage to celebrate music.
“We have both private and government schools from townships and suburbs all over Gauteng participating.
“A theme is chosen each year and we invite schools who have different ensembles who have proven their excellence to perform at this concert.
“Also, 2 000 disadvantaged youth from schools in Gauteng will be invited to attend two free matinee performances, on February 26 to 27.”
Lithgow said St Dominic’s has participated for the past five years.
“We have 11 active hubs – one of them being at Goedehoop Primary, in Reiger Park. This school has proven itself as excellent performers. In fact in 2016 we took the group to UK on an arts and culture tour.”
In this year’s much-anticipated production, with over 180 talented musicians and performers, the show will bring the movies to life in a vivid rendering from motion pictures most beloved and acclaimed music.
Attendees can look forward to international singing sensation Choni G, opera singer Neville Smith, and the show’s very own long-standing patron and friend of Education Africa, the master of MCs, David Bloch singing Somewhere over the Rainbow.
The show starts at 7.45pm.
For more information about the project and the concerts contact Education Africa on 011 685 7300 or Sydenham Shul on 011 640 5021.
