Music brought residents together

Despite cultural differences, music does play a huge role in bringing people together.

This was endorsed during the Ihlombe South African Music Festival held at Univeristy of Pretoria on saturda. The main objective of the festival was to showcase talent from various cultural groups and to offer groups an opportunity to hear the most diverse and exciting South African and international choral music.

Johan van Zyl, director of international projects based in Washington DC, said Ihlombe has been in existence for six years but it was for the first time that various  African countries, such as Nigeria and Uganda, took part.

He said Classical Movements, the company that brought various choral groups to the University of Pretoria, was tasked with importing international choirs to sing alongside local ensembles at the sixth annual Ihlombe! South African Choral Music Festival on Saturday.

Advertised as the largest international harmonic assembly in South Africa, it will next year feature international choirs from Australia and other countries.

“These concerts offered South Africans opportunities  to experience local and international talent on a single platform, and it gives the choirs a chance to perform outside their usual areas. Furthermore, aside from the obvious highlight for audiophiles, the choirs all benefited from a range of workshops that offered the opportunity for cultural exchange,” he said.