Local school hosts international marimba festival
The festival provides a dynamic platform for young musicians to share their skills, learn from experienced mentors, and explore the captivating rhythms of marimba and steelpan music.
St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls is proud to host the highly anticipated Education Africa International Marimba and Steelpan Festival again.
It takes place at the school on July 27 and 28 and, this year, features a record-breaking 2 300 musicians.
This annual, vibrant event brings together like-minded performers, educators and enthusiasts from around Africa and SA, offering a unique platform to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Africa and foster global unity through marimba and steelpan music.
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The theme of this year’s event is Peace and Harmony. Joan Lithgow, Education Africa’s marimba specialist and festival director, explained the choice of theme
.“Having recently successfully navigated a democratic election and celebrating 30 years of democracy, we wanted a theme for the festival that reflects what SA is currently yearning for – peace and harmony.
“What better way to celebrate this with than with our annual Education Africa International Marimba and Steelpan Festival.”
Education Africa has a long-standing commitment to advancing education and empowering the youth.
As part of its broader mission, the organisation seeks to create sustainable educational opportunities for disadvantaged communities.
The festival is one of the organisation’s flagship initiatives. It is a fundraising platform to support the Education Africa Marimba Project, ensuring more children have access to quality education and artistic development.
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“Through the universal language of music, the festival aims to promote social cohesion, creativity, cultural exchange, appreciation and understanding among young musicians and our audience,” said Lithgow.
“Participants from diverse backgrounds and age groups will engage in collaborative sessions, fostering connections that transcend borders and nurture a sense of unity among diverse cultures and communities.”
The festival provides a dynamic platform for young musicians to share their skills, learn from experienced mentors and explore the rhythms of marimba and steelpan music.
In addition to the numerous categories of competitions, the festival will feature many activities, including performances by professional musicians and over 90 workshops in various disciplines, including gumboot dancing, marimba and steelpan playing, djembe drumming and mbira playing.
In total, attendees will have the chance to see over 330 performances by young people from all over SA, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Trinidad and Tobago.
It promises to be an extraordinary celebration of music, talent, and cultural diversity.
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St Dominic’s senior band leader, Babantle Montle, said they await in anticipation for the festival.
“We feel excited and privileged that the prestigious festival will be held at our school again,” she said.
Montle said the band is working round the clock to prepare for the festival.
“Hopefully, we will bear the fruits of our hard work. We are planning on playing SA songs, like Ubomi Abumanga by Sun-El Musician featuring Msaki,” she said.
Rebeditswe Makweya, the school’s head of arts and culture, encouraged the community to be part of this spectacle of the arts.
“Your breath will be taken away. There is something for everyone to enjoy,” Montle said.
