Siyabonga Sesant
The musical departments of three Eastern Cape universities are set to benefit from a multi-million rand funding initiative sponsored by the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra.
Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the orchestra, Bongani Tembe, said 12 universities in total will benefit from the more than R3m sponsorship, with the lion's share of the funding going to three Eastern Cape institutions of higher learning.
"Just last week the Board approved an amount of just more than R3m to support 12 universities around the country," Tembe said at a media briefing held at the Mantis Collection boutique hotel in Gqeberha on Tuesday.
"And the Eastern Cape is the biggest beneficiary because there are three universities set to benefit.
"We are supporting the music departments of the Nelson Mandela University, Rhodes University and the University of Fort Hare."
Following a spectacular inaugural national tour in last year, the stage is set to celebrate the highly anticipated second national tour of Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra, which is scheduled to run in Women's Month from August 10 to August 14, 2023.
A stop in Gqeberha has also been included this time around.
The tour will be led by Marin Alsop, the first woman conductor to serve as the head of a major orchestra in the US, UK, South America and Austria with soloist Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, the award-winning Limpopo-born soprano who is the current BBC Radio 3 New Generation artist, winner of the Cardiff Singer of the World, and Daily Maverick's Artist of the Year runner up for 2022.
The August dates follow the acclaimed orchestra's three-city inaugural tour which played to sold-out houses in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town in December 2022.
This year's itinerary will see Mzansi Philharmonic performing in Johannesburg on Thursday, August 10 at the Linder Auditorium at 19h30pm; in Cape Town on Saturday, August 12 at the Cape Town City Hall at 19h30pm and in Gqeberha on Monday, August 14 at the Feather Market Centre at 18h30pm.
Tembe added: "On the 14th [of August] we will also be hosting a community concert when we'll bus in university students and other young people to enjoy music and also assist them in terms of mapping out their career paths in orchestral music."
The Mzansi Philharmonic was launched in 2022, as part of an initiative of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to broaden the orchestral experience of the country, transform the orchestral sector and to brand South Africa positively around the world.
The Orchestra consists of up to 110 non-permanent musicians who are drawn from regional orchestras, universities, and freelance musicians.
Tembe told Algoa FM News that last year alone, the Mzansi Philharmonic Orchestra spent R20m to support regional and youth orchestras around the country.
Tickets for the 2023 National Tour are now on sale from Quicket. Call 021 424 9308 or log onto sales@quicket.co.za / support@quicket.co.za.
