Classical music concerts in rural areas of the Free State are not in abundance, which is why the upcoming performances of the Federation of African Cultural Associations (FAK) Youth Symphony Orchestra in the province are something that music lovers should not miss.
“The aim of the tour is to visit rural communities and give people who attend the concerts a good experience of classical music,” said Jaco van Staden, conductor of the FAK youth orchestra, in an interview with RNews.
He adds that he especially enjoys presenting the concerts in communities that would not normally have the opportunity to experience classical music firsthand. According to him, this is also a golden opportunity to expand the band members’ frame of reference.
“In this way I hope to give children a glimpse into other parts of the country. It will show them what life is like in rural areas, how different communities respond to music and its performance, and how the music is received.”
The FAK youth orchestra will be in Vredefort on June 28, in Kroonstad on the morning of June 30 and later in the afternoon in Sasolburg. Concertgoers can look forward to a repertoire consisting of music, mostly classical works, that the orchestra has played over the past year.
During the concert of the youth orchestra in Vredefort, several novice musicians join the orchestra for a special performance of “Sarie Marais”, arranged by Jaco for orchestra and soloists.
“The instrumentalists who will play with the band are children who have started making music quite recently. ‘Sarie Marais’ is a song they will quickly recognize and it also offers the audience the opportunity to sing along beautifully.
“Folk music is a rich tradition in African culture, and I think that especially in rural areas, people are still particularly fond of folk music, especially evergreen FAK songs like ‘Sarie Marais’.”
The idea to embark on a Free State tour arose in March during the annual camp of Jaco and the youth orchestra at FAK Udolpho Rivierplaas in Parys. To conclude the tour and actually show parents how their children’s music had developed during that week, the orchestra presented a concert.
What was supposed to be an intimate concert for parents only spontaneously became a community event.
“There were quite a few people from the community and surrounding areas such as Viljoenskroon, Koppies and Parys who came together to listen. It was actually thanks to Jan-Danie Malan, cultural organizer of the FAK in the Free State, who took the initiative to invite people.
“We presented the concert to a packed audience. From the positive reactions of those present, I could conclude that they appreciated the classical music and the performance. It got my thoughts going and so I decided to take the youth orchestra on a short tour of the Free State.”
Jaco is not only excited about the churches and theater where they will perform and the people they will share the music with, but also about the time they will spend together as a band.
“I hope that the tour will bring our band closer together, create a closer bond between the members and create an even greater sense of unity among the children than there is already.”
Here is a list of the FAK Youth Orchestra’s Free State shows coming up soon:
- June 28 in the NG Church Vredefort. Buy your tickets at Plankton or at the door on the day of the show.
- Sunday, June 30 at 11 a.m. in the NG Mother Congregation in Kroonstad. Admission is free, but a donation for the band is welcome.
- Sunday, June 30 at 3 p.m. at the Etienne Rousseau Theater in Sasolburg. Buy your tickets on the Etienne Rousseau Theater website.
RNews
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