Education Africa’s annual music extravaganza Sounds of Celebration
9th Edition of the Sounds of Celebration Concert, virtual performance set to Premiere on Sunday 26 June to Sunday 3 July 2022.
JOHANNESBURG, 26 June 2022: Education Africa’s annual music extravaganza Sounds of Celebration, is excited to make its return in the month of June, where South Africa celebrates its annual youth month.
The concert turned virtual due to the Covid-19 pandemic and has managed to maintain its standards of showcasing quality music and collaborations from Mzansi’s own soil and the music community globally.
This 9th instalment will take place virtually from Sunday 26 June with the Premiere viewing at 5pm CAT to Sunday 3 July 2022 under the theme That’s Life! The video will be available for on demand viewing for 7 days after the Premiere.
The concert further seeks to give young South Africans and the global community the opportunity to celebrate social cohesion through music. The participating children will have the exciting opportunity to showcase their talents by collaborating with internationally recognised performers on a virtual stage. This year’s exciting star-studded line-up will include some of Mzansi’s finest music makers like the internationally celebrated Ndlovu Youth Choir; music duo Pops Mohamed and Dave Reynolds who have done over 200 concerts together and released two albums; Magda De Vries, South Africa’s very own classical marimba queen, and International acts like the Vienna Boys Choir from Austria, the Pipes and Drums of Queen Victoria School from Scotland, Michael Levine, composer and violinist from the USA among many others.
Education Africa’s Marimba Hub bands include Masibambane College from Orange Farm; John Wesley Community Centre from Etwatwa; Dominican School For Deaf Children in Hammanskraal (the only deaf marimba band in the world); MCK Special Needs School from Lenasia; Sekampaneng Primary from Hammanskraal, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Vrededorp and Protea Glen; Goede Hoop from Reiger Park as well as the Alumni All Stars Marimba Band.
Participating friends of Education
Africa include the marimba bands of CBC Boksburg and Jeppe High School for Boys as well as the Jack Lerole Jnr Penny Whistle Quartet.
The Concert will be co-hosted by CBS News National Correspondent and co-host of the CBS Saturday Morning show, Michelle Miller who is also a Trustee of Education Africa in the USA. Miller is a former recipient of an Edward R. Murrow Award for her outstanding achievements in electronic journalism, the Woman of the Year Award from the National Sports Foundation, as well as the National Association of Black Journalists Award of Excellence.
True to its name, Sounds of Celebration is a jovial inspiring event that brings together young people from all walks of life, while honouring their cultural diversity, heritage and unique musical talents expressed on a range of instruments including the marimba, steel pan, penny whistle and the Scottish pipe band.
“We are extremely excited to have our newly formed Alumni Marimba Band performing with the legendary award-winning duo: Pops Mohamed and Dave Reynolds,” says Musical Director and Education Africa Marimba Specialist, Joan Lithgow. Sounds of Celebration have friends in different parts of the world like the USA, Germany, the United Kingdom and Vienna.
“Staging the celebratory concert in the month of June is no coincidence,” adds Lithgow. June 16th is Youth Day – a historically significant day in the history of South Africa, and a great deal of focus shifts to the youth at this time as South Africans celebrate and reflect on their contribution to freedom for all in South Africa.
“Education Africa is all about empowering our youth to become better citizens through our various projects. Our Holistic Marimba Training Programme that is implemented in our Marimba Hubs does just this. We offer hope and artistic opportunities through our 19 Marimba Hubs”
Sounds of Celebration is the brainchild of Education Africa, which also celebrates 30 years of consistently playing its part in making real change happen in society. The organisation is dedicated to improving the quality of life of the poorest of the poor through various amazing initiatives, one of them being the Education Africa International Arts & Culture Project which strives and consistently succeeds in raising the bar for social cohesion and providing cultural enrichment opportunities through its Marimba Hubs, an integral part of the Education Africa International Arts & Culture project. Vulnerable children are offered free access to marimba lessons, and many of these learners go on to perform in the Sounds of Celebration Concert as well as the Education Africa International Marimba & Arts & Culture Steelpan Festival.
“When I am asked why I teach music the answer is never to create good music, or create musicians! It is always the other “things” that engaging in music-making does for children: team-building, building of self-esteem, creating a feeling of belonging, developing listening skills for life, being empathetic to others, sensitivity, etc etc. If I get good music out as well it is a bonus. The “good music” is a by-product of the process not the main product! said Joan Lithgow, Sounds of Celebration Music Director.
We are proud to have the National Arts Council as one of our sponsors this year.
About Education Africa
Established in 1992, Education Africa strives to reach and uplift the poorest of the poor by assisting the disadvantaged South Africans. To do so, Education Africa aims to provide quality and relevant education in order to ensure that many are in a position to become global citizens. Please visit www.educationafrica.org for more information on Education Africa and its project portfolio.
Tickets to the online Sounds of Celebration Concert can be purchased online, on our website at https://educationafrica.org/
