The Marimba Education Foundation is delighted to announce a name and venue change to the inaugural Soweto National Marimba Festival which will be held on the grounds of the Morris Isaacson High School hall, 1349 Mputhi Street, Central Western Jabavu, Soweto on Saturday 7 September from 8.30am to 6pm, as part of the annual Arts Alive International Festival 2013.
“We are incredibly excited to be staging our popular national festival at the Morris Isaacson venue,” said executive director of the Marimba Education Foundation Hilde Gordon. “For the first seven years the national festival was hosted at St Dominic’s, Boksburg but now, as part of our long-term vision to explore other centres and provinces, we have made the move to Soweto, renamed the festival and we have partnered with the Arts Alive International Festival 2013.”
The one-day festival, while having a strong emphasis on participation, takes the form of a competition.
This competitive aspect, together with the opportunity for cross-pollination of ideas, styles and repertoire, is what raises the standards of playing and the levels of creativity. Festival participants come from all walks of life, with pupils from the most exclusive schools playing alongside youngsters from the most impoverished areas.
The festival accommodates all schools and ages within 14 carefully structured sections: from primary to high schools, from amateur to professional bands, from pure instrumentals to marimba performances that incorporate vocal performances and dancing, this marimba festival provides a platform for all exponents of this increasingly popular instrument.
Registration for the festival is now open. The closing date is 19 July.
Details: Hilde Gordon 082-896-7189, www.mef.org.za
