Launch held for event in June
Mpumalanga Melting Pot Choral Festival ‘Tribute to OR Tambo’ launch was held in eMalahleni last weekend.
The launch was held on Saturday, April 5 at Witbank Civic Hall for celebrating 20 years of democracy through sound that will melt your heart in June.
After an enthralling choral music at the packed Carnival City’s Big Top Arena on October 19, music connoisseurs and lovers commended the Ekurhuleni Melting Pot Choral Festival.
A number of choral music ground-breaking events have been lined up as a build-up to the National Competition in Ekurhuleni in October this year. These will include Kwa-zulu Natal Melting Pot Choral Festival on April 27 followed by Mpumalanga Melting Pot Choral Festival on June 1. The launch included, among others, choir’s preparation by choral music specialists on how to prepare for te Melting Pot Choral Festival. Judges will explain the adjudication process and adjudicators’ expectations.
“It is exciting to be back with this massive festival, the launch was an eye-opener for a lot of choirs in Mpumalanga because they will be working with top choral specialists. They can learn a lot and be competitive to match the standard of other professionals in the country, ” said Ms. Gcisa Mdlulwa, CEO of Melting Pot Arts Festival.
‘Celebrating 20 years of our democracy through sound that will melt your heart’ is the theme of the massive choral music festival that will be held in Durban City Hall on Freedom Day, April 27. It will feature crème de la crème of choral music in honour of one of South Africa‘s greatest sons O. R Tambo, himself a former school choir member at St. Peters.
He was first introduced to formal music at Embhobeni, which became a lifelong activity and a hobby. He was as well a renowned choral music composer.
OR Tambo will be honoured in style with choirs such as Durban Serenade, African Chorus, SA Chorus and Mayibuye IAfrica to mention a few.
The sounds of joy chorale and last year’s National Melting Pot Choral Music Festival inaugural winners Clermont Community Choir will melt your heart. Adding to the potpourri of song and dance will be KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. Also in the blend to add further entertainment will be Zakes Bantwini, Zonke Dikana, Abanqobi and 1 Grandi Tenori.
Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation endorse this festival. “Oliver Tambo loved classical and choral music, and was himself an accomplished choir master,” said Mr Mavuso Msimang, CEO of the Foundation.
Tambo recognized the critical role of culture in the struggle liberation and encouraged the formation of cultural groups in exile camps, where freedom fighters lived.
“Embracing the Melting Pot National Festival Tribute to OR Tambo was thus the most natural thing to do for the Foundation.”
CEO of Melting Pot Arts Festival, Gcisa Mdlulwa said.
”It has been a long journey preparing this pot and now we are ready to melt the soul of our nation through the beautiful voices that will be at Durban City Hall. This is our way of remembering Tata OR Tambo for his love of music.”
National Ekurhuleni Melting Pot Choral Festival ‘Tribute to OR Tambo’ will be held in Carnival City, Ekurhuleni over two-day musical bonanza on October 18 and 19.
