A superb Viennese violinist, Benjamin Schmid, will to open Johannesburg Musical Society’s 2010 season on February 20.

Benjamin Schmid, winner of the Carl Flesch International in London, will open the Johannesburg Musical Society’s 2010 season on Saturday 20 February at 8pm in the Linder Auditorium, St Andrews Road, Parktown.

Schmid, who is one of Europe’s finest and busiest performers, was not only the winner of the First Prize at the Carl Flesch, but he also took the Mozart, the Beethoven and the Audience Prize at this event. Today, his name appears in company with the names of some of the world’s greatest conductors, and he is in huge demand in premier classical music halls around the globe. Some of the orchestras he regularly performs with are the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic, the London Philharmonia, the St Petersburg Philharmonic and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw.

Benjamin Schmid will be accompanied by pianist Luis Margalhaes, who is the holder of Portugals National Medal for Cultural Achievement.

Together, they play two works by Schubert (the Rondo Brillant and the Fantasy in C), as well as Beethoven’s Sonata for Violin and Piano in G, Opus 96. Benjamin Schmid will also play Eugene Ysaye’s Fourth Sonata for Solo Violin, a work he has recently performed at London’s Wigmore Hall.

Tickets can be booked at Computicket (R105-R135). Students 23 and under with a valid student card pay only R25. Please note that there is no credit card facility at the Linder.

Also note that members of the Johannesburg Musical Society pay substantially less for their tickets and also receive a free programme at each concert. For more details about the JMS phone 011 728 5492 or 083 228 2917.

Emerging South African music entrepreneurs have received a welcome boost with the introduction of a targeted music publishing course at Wits University.

Developed in partnership with the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO), the part-time course – titled “Business Principles of Songwriting and Music Publishing” – will be launched in February 2010.

The evening classes will run for 14 consecutive weeks, with one two- to three-hour lecture per week, and students will receive a certificate from Wits upon their successful competition of the course and the final exam. It is a single-semester course, and prospective students who miss out on the first intake can enrol for the July 2010 semester.

The NQF Level 5 course is targeting anyone working in – or wishing to pursue a career in – music publishing, administration and marketing, who is looking to broaden his or her knowledge of creating, selling and promoting songs in a commercial environment.

It will benefit songwriters, aspirant independent music publishers and others seeking to enhance their understanding of some of the industry’s complexities and technicalities, such as music copyright laws, music publishing contracts, the financial and administrative aspects of the business, the promotion of musical works, the role of collective management organisations, and essential life skills for those involved in the music industry.

According to course facilitator Jonathan Shaw, who has been successfully running a related short course on music management and marketing through Wits Plus for the past five years, he and SAMRO identified a need to further develop intellectual capital on the business side of the South African music industry – a specialised area that is neglected by most academic business qualifications.

“The aim of the course is to educate and empower young entrepreneurs who are already in the industry or who want to get into it. We hope to provide encouragement to independent publishers and enable more local musicians to prosper,” explains Shaw.

“The South African music industry is still informal, to a degree. Many people don’t understand the industry, its workings or its terms to the extent that they are comfortable enough to work in it. And many creators still tend to ignore the business side of their work.

“These courses will go a long way toward the formalisation of the industry, giving participants the tools to be able to network and be competitive.”

A total of 25 applicants can be accommodated per semester, and SAMRO is sponsoring five bursaries for SAMRO members or for people employed by SAMRO publisher members. These seats will be awarded at the discretion of Wits.

With Shaw as facilitator, top industry professionals will be brought in to conduct individual lectures in their respective areas of expertise.

“We are really excited about this course for aspirant music publishers,” says Leon van Wyk, SAMRO’s Executive General Manager: Rights Holder Services. “The partnership between SAMRO and an academic institution of the calibre of Wits University is great for the music business and we encourage anyone who wants to make money from their songs to attend.

“We believe that this project adds value to the music industry and to our business, and will equip aspirant music publishers with valuable knowledge and skills.”

Adds Shaw: “The new music publishing course will help fill in the gaps, analyse the jargon and enable students to get to grips with how the music industry is run. It’s about blowing myths out of the water, and approaching the industry from an academic perspective.”

The “Business Principles of Songwriting and Music Publishing” evening classes, accredited and moderated by SAMRO, will be held at the Wits West Campus in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, starting on 17 February 2010 at 6pm. Registration for the first semester closes on 15 January 2010. The cost of the course is R5 120.00. For more information and to obtain an application form, visit www.witsplus.wits.ac.za. Alternatively, e-mail shortcourses.witsplus@wits.ac.za, phone 011 717 9500/3 or visit the Wits Plus office.

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The most successful band in South Africa in the last decade will thrill fans with hits from their three platinum-selling, award-winning albums.

They are playing at the AquaFestival at the North Wharf, V&A Waterfront (entrance at the Aquarium) on 19 December at 20h30.

Freshlyground is made up of seven talented and diverse musicians from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The band exudes a live performance energy that has been the bedrock of their success. Although hailing from diverse backgrounds, between them the band’s members weave a musical magic that is highly infectious and an undeniably groovy fusion of African folk and kwela, blues, jazz and indie rock.

Fans can expect to hear many old favourites, in addition to newer hits off their recent album Ma’Cheri. The group is currently recording a fourth studio album due for release later shortly.

Their second and third albums have achieved multi-platinum status and, in November 2006, they won the MTV Europe Award for Best African Act, placing the band on the international music map, and opening the door for them to tour the United States and Canada for the first time this year.

Freshly Ground guarantee an energetic show with superb vocals from Zolani Mahola, bassist Josh Hawks, drummer Peter Cohen, guitarist Julio Sigauque, violinist Kyla Rose Smith, keyboard player Seredeal Scheepers and Simon Attwell on flute, sax, harmonica and the traditional African ‘mbira’.

FreshlyGround is part of the AquaFestival presented by M-Net in association with the V&A Waterfront and Hunta Live – a multi-disciplined Music & Entertainment Festival staging 12 world class performances on one of the most spectacular settings ever… a giant floating stage in the V&A Waterfront Yacht Basin with Table Mountain as a backdrop and the summer skies as roof.

It will cover all genres including ballet, music tribute shows, carols, rock, pop and circus to name but a few.

A musical of hope and triumph, Lion of the East tells of the story of farm activist Gert Sibande.

The Playhouse Company, in partnership with the KZN Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Committed Artists, Mpumalanga Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation and SABC 1, presents Mbongeni Ngema’s Lion of the East at the Playhouse in Durban 15 December 2009 until 3 January 2010.

Created, written and directed by Africa’s King of Theatre, Mbongeni Ngema, known for seminal works such as Asinamali, Sarafina and The Zulu, to name a few, Lion of the East will run in The Playhouse Company’s Drama Theatre.

The life of Gert Sibande, one of the eminent political activists in Bethal, comes alive on stage in a musical production titled Lion of the East. Sibande was a leader among farm workers in what was then known as the Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga). He was an ANC activist and one of the first of a string of accused in the treason trial of 1956 to 1961. At that time he was a member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC.

“His pronounced commitment for the plight of poor people in the rural areas is well documented,” says the production’s director, Mbongeni Ngema. “He stood against exploitation on Bethal farms where wanton killings occurred. Farm labourers were flogged to death, gruesome stories of others dying of the cold and of people conned into working on the farms were the order of the day. One can imagine how hard it was for the people. They worked from sunrise to sunset, and they were fed porridge and gravy on sacks instead of plates to make them eat faster because the gravy soaked quickly through the sacks.”

South African poet Roy Campbell, describing the conditions on the farms, wrote of “the fiercely ironic abuse of an illiterate ruling class.” Sibande emerged in the Bethal district in the 1930s as an organiser and founder of a farm workers’ association. He became the local spokesman for the ANC. In 1947 he helped journalists, including Michael Scott, who worked for the Rand Daily Mail, to expose the slavery conditions of African people on the Bethal farm.

The farm exposé was later pursued in Drum magazine in 1952 by Henry Nxumalo and Ruth First. Sibande launched what he called his “talking to papers” strategy to expose the slavery conditions on the farm. Although Gert never had any formal education he became an important man in the trade union sector and the ANC as its spokesperson.

Sibande left Bethal and lived in the Vaal area before he was banished to Komartiport. He skipped the country and went to Swaziland where he died in 1987.

This is a milestone production which includes the potpourri of music, dance and drama that have become the hallmark of Ngema. Bhoyi Ngema as Gert Sibande heads a cast that includes, among others Seipati Sothoana, Bheki Mqadi, Velephi Mnisi, Thandeka Magagula, Jaco van Heerden, Marissa Fourie, Mmakgosi Kgabi, Thabile Mzobe, Lorato Thekisho and Siphosethu Mnisi.

Special low price previews: 15 and 16 December (group bookings call 031 369 9407). Normal price performances at R145 per person: 17 December – 3 January. (Book at Computicket on 083 915 8000 or call 031 369 9540 (office hours).

The NewSpace Theatre in Cape Town opens its first children’s musical production, The Night Before Christmas, from 4 to 24 December.

On the night before Christmas, Emily stares out of the window, hugs her teddy and waits excitedly for the morning. In the corner of her room, a little mouse called Eddie can’t understand why only humans get to celebrate and receive presents on this special occasion. Along his journey of discovery he dodges the family cat, gets directions from a cowardly toy soldier and is even given some unexpected advice from the magical Fairy on top of the Christmas tree. Will Eddie get an answer? Will Emily get her wish? And what is that odd-shaped present sitting under the tree?

The Night Before Christmas is directed by Dean Roberts who has played the lead in several children’s productions himself that include Oliver and Puss-in-Boots, and in other well-known shows such as The Importance of Being Ernest and the Rocky Horror Show. He has also performed in hit musicals like We will Rock You, High School Musical and Hair.

This delightful family musical is ideal entertainment for everyone from 3 years of age and up, and was originally created by the founder of the Big Wooden Horse Company, one of the United Kingdom’s finest children’s theatre companies. The show is set to original music, with colourful sets and costumes and stars three talented actors, Francesco Nassimbeni, Bethany Dickson and Stephen Jubber.

Performances run daily at the NewSpace 1 Theatre from 4 to 24 December at 11am and 2pm. Tickets cost R50 each via Computicket or 021 422 5522. Parking is available on the street, at Heritage Square on Bree Street or in the Parkade on Strand Street, all within easy walking distance to the theatre, situated on the corner of Long and Hout Streets.

The Night Before Christmas is delighting young audiences at the NewSpace Theatre this festive season.

The NewSpace Theatre on 44 Long Street is pleased to add The Night Before Christmas to its bumper festive season line up.

On the night before Christmas, Emily stares out of the window, hugs her teddy and waits excitedly for Christmas morning. In the corner of her room, a little mouse called Eddie can’t understand why only humans get to celebrate and receive presents on this special occasion. Along his journey of discovery and his quest to meet Santa he dodges the grumpy family cat, gets directions from a nervous but enthusiastic toy robot and is even given some unexpectedly good advice from the magical Fairy from the top the Christmas tree.

The Night Before Christmas is directed by Dean Roberts who has played the lead in several children’s productions himself that include Oliver and Puss-in-Boots, and in other well-known shows such as The Importance of Being Ernest and the Rocky Horror Show. He has also been in hit musicals like We will Rock You, High School Musical and Hair. The show stars three talented young actors, namely Francesco Nassimbeni as Eddie the Mouse, Bethany Dickson as Lizzie the Christmas Fairy and Stephen Jubber as the robot Dymotron.

This delightful family musical, set to original music, is ideal entertainment for everyone from 3 years of age and up, and was originally created by the founder of the Big Wooden Horse Company, one of the United Kingdom’s finest children’s theatre companies.

Performances run daily until the 24th December at 11am and 2pm with tickets costing R50 each via Computicket or 021 422 5522. Parking is available on the street around the venue, at Heritage Square on Bree Street or in the Parkade on Strand Street, all within easy walking distance to the theatre, situated on the corner of Long and Hout Streets.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Busi Mhlongo head for the KZN Music House to record together for the first time

On October 4 2009, internationally renowned sculptor Andries Botha (www.andriesbotha.net) was in the audience when multi-award winning singer Busi Mhlongo performed at the legendary Rainbow Restaurant in Pinetown (www.therainbow.co.za). He was so moved by the performance and Mhlongo’s spirituality that the following week he contacted Neil and Nicola Comfort of the Rainbow and presented a proposal to them.

The proposal related to the Human Elephant Foundation (www.humanelephant.org), an environmental awareness organization initiated by Botha. The Human Elephant Foundation is a visionary and collaborative organization that initiates, coordinates and facilitates discussion and innovative problem solving to create a better, respectful and sustainable world.

Besides the herd of lifelike elephants that Botha has created to spread awareness across the globe, another form of communication, namely music, was envisaged by Botha and his collaborators in the Foundation as being key to spreading the word. Another well-known and much loved Durban musician, Syd Kitchen (www.sydkitchen.com), had already contributed a song entitled Human Elephant Song to the Foundation. Botha hoped that Mhlongo would also be able to contribute a song and asked the Comforts to help facilitate this.

Mhlongo immediately jumped at the opportunity and expressed her long held desire to again team up with London-based producer Will Mowat, with whom she had last worked with on her multi award-winning 1998 release Urbanzulu. Besides his sterling work on what is today recognized as one of the greatest South African albums ever produced, Mowat is also noted for his work with Vicky Sampson and her album Zai that gave us that stadium anthem African Dream; with Mango Groove; and as producer of Angelique Kidjo’s global hit Agolo.

He did not hesitate in confirming his willingness to assist with the recording. Numerous phone calls and brain storming sessions later and Mowat proposed a meeting with three-time Grammy Award-winning act Ladysmith Black Mambazo (LBM) that, without a doubt, is the most globally recognized music brand from South Africa, from Kwazulu Natal and from Durban – the birthplace of the Human Elephant Foundation. Their participation was confirmed with an unequivocal yes.

Just two months since the seed was first sown in Botha’s head at the Rainbow and these two iconic Durban based acts head into Studio 1 of the recently launched KZN Music House on Monday 7 December to create magic. The Music House is an initiative of the KZN Department of Economic Development that has provided the province with a state-of-the-art recording facility that is set to change the face of the music industry in KwaZulu-Natal. The facility is managed by Committed Artists for the benefit of all KZN-based musicians.

Auspiciously, this will be the first-ever recording in the facility and even Chief Engineer Richard Mitchell has moved heaven and earth to accommodate it on this date, as the following day LBM head off to Johannesburg to record their 53rd album. The management of the facility has come to the party and is donating the studio time in celebration of the fact that the first recording will feature the names Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Busi Mhlongo.

The hope is that the song that results from the chemistry between the artists will feature on future albums from LBM and Mhlongo. The hope is that this will be last time that acts such as LBM will have to travel to Johannesburg to record. The goal is that the song will carry the message of the Human Elephant Foundation to a global audience. In another first, this will also be the first collaboration between Mhlongo and LBM.

Top Durban-based director and cinematographer Michael Cross, of Rogue Productions, will be in the studio to capture the making of the song on film.

There are all kinds of activities on the go in Newtown for the Women’s Day weekend, from dance and poetry to jazz, exhibitions and book launches.
Mary Fitzgerald Square – traditional dance
9 August

Festivities start at 9am with a traditional dance programme on Mary Fitzgerald Square presented by ACUMDA and the Gauteng Province of Sport, Arts, Recreation and Culture. Mosadi Otswara Thipa Kabohaleng celebrates women’s right to be, as well as acknowledging their efforts in social life and nation building. This promises to be an experience of extravagant costume and colour, of soothing traditional music with finely crafted dance choreography. Exuberant performances will be done by girls, young women and women.
Sci-Bono Discovery Centre – free entrance to women and girls on Women’s Day
9 August

Sci-Bono will be offering a free visit to the discovery centre for all women on Women’s Day. This will include the group of people that they visit with, whether it is a group of friends or their families. In addition to being able to enjoy some of the most interesting and interactive exhibits in the country, they will be able to enjoy extraordinary science shows and some fun hands-on science workshops.
Moving into Dance – The Woman in Me
9 August

Moving into Dance is hosting a dance workshop from 10am to 12 noon at their new building on President Street. The theme is ‘The Woman in Me’. It is a celebration of womanhood through dance and creative movement, a time for woman to get away from their routines and focus on themselves being the powerhouses that they are in family and society. All women are welcome and the workshop is free of charge.
The Lab – Pages of Dedication
9 August

Gladys Agulhas Theatre Works presents Pages of Dedication, a collaboration including dancers from Agulhas Theatre Works learnership programme, children and senior citizens from Eldo’s. There will be performances at 1pm and 5pm on 9 August at The Market Laboratory.
Bassline – Sibikwa Women Word Slam
9 August

Also on 9 August between 12pm and 6pm at the Bassline emerging poets will participate in a word slam about women. This event is part of a festival hosted by the Sibikwa Arts Centre and this year’s theme is Seriti sa basadi or women’s dignity. Young female poets from the Basadi group in Kwa-Zulu Natal will make their second appearance in Gauteng. A new group of poets from Free State who recently appeared at the Grahamstown National Festival of the Arts will be participating. From Gauteng we have Sistah Raphulu, Buwa Africa and Poets of Light amongst others. Throughout the event an open stage will be available for poets to buy the ‘mic’ for R5 for a five minute slot. A DJ will keep the energy going throughout the afternoon. Audiences can expect to be wowed by the talent. The festival continues at the Sibikwa Arts Centre in Benoni on Monday 10th August 2009 from 10am to 4:30pm.
Sci-Bono Auditorium – Mini film festival
9 August

A film programme including screenings and discussions with directors and producers supported by the Gauteng Film Commission will take place in the new auditorium at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre on 9 August at 3pm. Various industry practitioners will be available to interact with young women with an interest in joining the film industry.
Xarra Books – Launch of The 30th Candle
9 August

A new book entitled ‘The 30th Candle’ by Angela Makholwa will be launched at Xarra Books at 2pm.
Museum Africa – The Jozi Book Fair
8 and 9 August

The Jozi Book Fair hosted by Khanya College and Botsotso Publishers takes place all day on 8 and 9 August at Museum Africa. The book fair brings together publishers, writers, translators, book distributors, libraries, resource centres, readers and the general public. The programme includes book launches, conversations, poetry readings and panel discussions. A full programme can be viewed by visiting www.newtown.co.za.
Museum Africa – Face Her
9 August

Face Her, a photograph exhibition opening at Museum Africa on Sunday afternoon at 4pm, showcases the work of emerging photographers from the Market Photo Workshop, inviting a dialogue about women’s lives and gender in our society. The images presented here show us faces we’ve seen before, so many archetypes and bear witness to the experiences of women across a multiplicity of locales, roles and ages. They also reflect on the lives, dreams and aspirations of these photographers as the new observers, producers and commentators. All too often, the ways in which people portray others is a reflection on the ways in which they choose to portray themselves. Here we celebrate women, in a fragment of time, in a slice of light, in Southern Africa.
1 Central Place Courtyard – Photographic projections
9 August

The Market Photo Workshop is presenting a public screening of select photographic works in celebration of Women’s day on Sunday. The screening will take place in the courtyard of No 1 Central Place, Newtown, from 8pm to 10pm. The works being screened are all drawn from previous group exhibitions, curated by the Market Photo Workshop, which were exhibited as part of previous Newtown Women in Arts Festivals. Included in the screening are works from celebrated photographers and Photo Workshop alumni such as Nonsikelelo Veleko, Zanele Muholi, Sabelo Mlangeni, Tracy Edser, and Musa Nxumalo among others. Works from exhibitions as varied as In Transit, Chances are, Face her, and Seeing Women are going to be screened. Each exhibition, approached thematically, contains work geared towards a curatorial approach that responds to issues around gender roles, women and the social environments they occupy. No 1 Central Place has convenient underground parking available and is across the road from Mary Fitzgerald Square.
Mary Fitzgerald Square, Jeppe Street – The Fast Art Girls
9 August

The Fast Art Girls will surprise and delight. After intense mayhem caused on the sidewalk outside Joburg Art Fair earlier this year, the Fast Art Girls will again make a much-demanded second appearance in their flashy cheap art-sauce trailer during the Newtown Celebrates Women’s Day weekend - on Sunday night outside Cappellos on Jeppe Street. The Fast Art Girls with their Fast Art Trailer, exchange their ideas about Art, Value and Viennas. A range of their exclusive, authentic artworks is available, to anyone wanting to engage with them. Don’t miss the opportunity to acquire one of their sought after and highly valuable products.
Nikki’s Oasis – Women in Jazz
8 and 9 August

Nikki’s Oasis presents ‘Women in Jazz’ with the Hlulani Hlangwane Quartet. Hlulani is a South African born female Jazz singer, arranger, and composer who has dedicated her life to music. Whilst studying jazz at the University of Cape Town, she performed in venues around Cape Town with a trio of students she had met at UCT. Her style is varied – she mixes soul and R&B into her sets and when she isn’t performing, she is usually composing contemporary music or arranging jazz standards. The band will perform at 20h00 on Saturday 8 July and at 16h00 on Sunday 9 August.
Sophiatown Bar Lounge
9 August

Sophiatown Wathint’ umfazi wathint imbokodo is offering free neck and shoulder rubs for all women customers, live music and poetry by Jesica, the song poet.
Ko’Spotong
9 August

At Ko’Spotong there will also be free neck and shoulder rubs for women, live music by pop Idol finalist, Thabs, poetry by ‘Buya Afrika’ and a female DJ line up.
Cappello
9 August

Basadi@Cappello starts at 2pm on 9 August with a chocolate fountain, complimentary drinks for women on arrival and female DJs to get you into a party mood.

The three main prize-winners at the Unisa National Strings Competition in Pretoria all took part in the Sanlam National Music Competition in their earlier days.

It proves yet again that the Sanlam National Music Competition run by the Tygerberg branch of the South African Society of Music Teachers (SASMT) is a wonderful, all-embracing learning school without peer in South Africa.

In the second Unisa National Strings Competition in Pretoria recently, the three main prize-winners had two things in common – they are currently students of the acclaimed Cape violin teacher, Jack de Wet, and have all benefited from the unique experience of participating in the Sanlam competition, a springboard in their fledgling years for their development, success and acclaim.

•Avigail Bushakevitz (now 21) from George, who won first prize at Unisa, was the winner of the Strings section at Sanlam in 2001;

•Jacqueline-Wedderburn-Maxwell (only 16) from Durban was placed second. At her first Sanlam competition in 2002 she was adjudged the most promising candidate under 10 and won the Strings section. She again won Strings in 2003 and added the bronze medal for third place overall, before crowning her achievements in 2005 by walking away with the Strings section prize and the overall gold medal.

•Capetonian Vicente Espi (22), in third spot in Pretoria, started his winning streak at Sanlam in 1998, topping the Strings section. He returned two years later to win not only this section again, but also the overall gold medal.

Comments Leon Hartshorne, chairman of the SASMT’s Tygerberg branch and director of the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre in Parow:

“The results at Unisa are no exception. They are reminiscent of what happened at the first two national Artscape youth music competitions, for example.

“It seems that the Sanlam competition is doing exactly what it sets out to do when our branch initiated this project for primary school instrumentalists 21 years ago with financial backing from Sanlam.

“Our aim is to identify promising music students country-wide and give them the opportunity to compete on national level early on in their development as musicians.

“This is boosted by the interaction of participants within and between the peer groups at the competition, not to mention the divergent forms of repertoire they witness and experience as they progress through every round - with their trusted teachers at their sides to motivate and polish them and assist with the critical selection of works to perform.

“Well done, Avigail, Jacqui and Vicente – you’ve done us proud and we’ll keenly follow your further progress as musicians.”

This year’s Sanlam competition for primary school learners takes place from 21 to 25 September in the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium in Parow and is an ideal opportunity for local music lovers to see South Africa’s budding instrumentalists in action. More information will be provided nearer to the event.
Enquiries: Leon Hartshorne 021 939 9105