Six Monnas learners feature in famous youth orchestra
Monnas' Magnet School for Music had six musicians perform in the Simfonia Juventi Orchestra recently.
Six musicians from Hoërskool Monument High School’s Magnet School for Music took to the stage with the Simfonia Juventi Youth Symphony Orchestra this year.
The Simfonia Juventi consists of 79 learners from various regions of South Africa and according to the head of the department for the music school, Karin Scholtz, criteria for admission to the orchestra are based on musical knowledge and ability as well as level of competence with a specific symphonic instrument.
She added that membership is subject to auditions held in January each year, where the objective of this symphony orchestra is to create the opportunity for promising learners to gain orchestral experience and to identify and develop musical talent.
“The privilege to be a member of such an orchestra is an inspiring and unparalleled educational experience for any young musician,” she said.
The six members of this prestigious orchestra this year include Jonah James-Birkholtz (violin) and Tadiwanashe Mwandiambira (violin) in Grade Nine, Carmen Saayman (viola) and Irma Ammann-Van der Merwe (flute) in Grade 10, Christiaan Naudé (cello) in Grade 11 and Sunelle de Klerk (flute) in Grade 12.
“Christiaan Naudé also had the privilege to perform the first movement of the Saint-Saëns cello concerto as soloist, as part of their concert repertoire this year,” she said.
Karin continued that the Simfonia Juventi Orchestra started their annual activities during the April school holidays, with an intensive rehearsal week at Pro Arte, Alphen Park in Pretoria.
This was followed up with some weekend tours to different provinces during April and May. They concluded their activities in May in the ZK Matthews Hall at Unisa, she proudly mentioned.
She added during their activities, the orchestra, under the baton of maestro Eddie Clayton, performed some great classical works at this event.
“They performed Ludwig van Beethoven’s Egmont Overture as well as the well-known Ode to Joy from his ninth symphony, the very famous Nimrod [from Enigma Variations] by Edward Elgar, Asturias by the Spanish composer Isaac Albeniz and more. Two young and promising soloists each performed a concerto, the first movement of the Saint-Saëns cello concerto as well as the third movement of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto. Also included in this programme was some joyous and exciting music featured in the film Batman by Danny Elfman as well as the Formula 1 theme by Brian Tyler.”
