About

OUR MISSION

To ‘unite the power of classical, indigenous and jazz and thus offer a key to positive social development and to deep understanding between people across all borders’

“Sustainable development and the flourishing of culture are interdependent”
(UNESCO)

OUR VISION

• Consolidating democracy and promoting human rights

MIAGI addresses the issue of ethnic relations through its all-inclusive programming. By offering a platform for intercultural creative dialogue, MIAGI brings young people, artists and audiences together that would otherwise never meet.

• Poverty reduction in the long-term

MIAGI promotes music education for children and youth as an effective tool for social upliftment. Studies world-wide show that music education and participation in musical activities are the right tools to awaken young people’s creative vocation, promote social development and community cohesion, develop life skills and enhance career opportunities.

OUR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• To raise the profile of music and music education for children and youth as an effective tool for positive social development, thus enabling music education initiatives to enjoy increased support
• To vitalise cultural awareness
• To develop South African disadvantaged children’s and youths’ life skills through music and music education, thus enhancing their career opportunities
• To establish MIAGI globally as a popular stage for intercultural music exchange
• To counteract ethnic prejudice and intolerance, consolidating democracy and promoting human rights
• To inspire composers to explore African traditional music and lesser-known indigenous music styles and thus enhance the appreciation, and the value and integrity, of indigenous music
• To promote indigenous and traditional African musical idiom in South Africa and abroad by introducing African music to audiences, musicians and music educators world-wide
• To create career opportunities for local musicians
• To contribute to poverty reduction through social upliftment and international exchange, encouraging investor confidence and tourism
• To structure and add to a national network of music initiatives with the aim of bolstering music education in South Africa

MIAGI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

MIAGI, A NATIONAL MEMBER SECTION OF JEUNESSES MUSICALES INTERNATIONAL

MIAGI focuses on music education for children as a central tool of social upliftment and cultural awareness. Children who are involved with music education are more likely to complete high school and go on to study further, and less likely to be involved with gangs and substance abuse. By supporting numerous existing music-education initiatives, MIAGI makes music education available to a growing number of young people, especially in historically disadvantaged areas. In addition to providing ongoing financial and technical support for such projects, MIAGI arranges workshops and the MIAGI Orchestra Course, and also provides mentorship with renowned artists. Collaborations with organisations and festivals abroad offer many young South African musicians opportunities to present their talents internationally.

MIAGI’s annual Festival sees world-acclaimed musicians perform to extensive media coverage with many of our finest aspiring young artists. Over the years MIAGI’s synergies have involved the star violinist Maxim Vengerov, renowned soprano Barbara Hendricks, jazz legend Miriam Makeba, the MIAGI Orchestra, Ngqoko Women Xhosa overtone singers, top vocalists Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) and ECO principal conductor, the eminent Finnish pianist and conductor Ralf Gothóni, jazz percussion icon Louis Moholo, star pianist Fazil Say, the Gauteng Choristers, prominent mezzo-soprano Sibongile Khumalo, Thikundwi kha Sialala Venda Ngoma drummers and dancers, amazing Pondo storyteller and musician Madosini, and trumpet sensation Sergei Nakariakov.

MIAGI introduces South African music to audiences worldwide. We inspire dialogue among people of different cultures through an intense process of artistic exchange that includes commissioning new intercultural compositions. This underlines our objective to educate in the broadest sense of the word – MIAGI unites people through music and empowers musicians throughout South Africa.

MIAGI has support from local government, the corporate sector and the international community. Since 2001 we have generated sponsorship worth R50.000.000 for the music-education (R30.000.000) and performance sectors (R 20.000.000) in South Africa. Our supporters include the Department of Arts and Culture, the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund the Embassy of Finland and Total SA (2005-2008).

MIAGI has been appointed a co-operating organisation by the South African National Commission for UNESCO

MIAGI PATRONS

President Martti Ahtisaari. The Nobel Committee awarded its 2008 Peace Prize to Martti Ahtisaari, the former Finnish president who has been associated over decades with peace efforts and quiet, cautious diplomacy from Asia to Africa and Europe.

Maxim Vengerov, internationally renowned violinist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Dr José Antonio Abreu, UNESCO Ambassador for Music and Peace and creator of the national system of children’s and youth orchestras and choirs in Venezuela.

MIAGI STAFF

Robert Brooks – Executive Director, Ingrid Hedlund – Creative Manager, Sisa Chumi - OfficeAdmin & Logistics, Madelein van Dyk - Finance, Munashe Muchina – Education, Lerato Phage – Capegate MIAGI Centre for MusicAdmin.

MIAGI financial management: Equilibro Solutions CC
MIAGI auditors: Massyns & Associates

OTHER COMPANY INFORMATION

MIAGI board of directors and members:
Directors: Nozipho January Bardill, Executive Director of Corporate Affairs - MTN (Chairperson),  Robert Brooks (Executive Director), Executive Director - MIAGI, Nolwandhle Mboweni, Director  - Vela International, Henni Schmidt, Finance Director - Askafrika.
Members: Ingrid Hedlund, Creative Manager - MIAGI, Ayanda Holo, Director - Alpha Communications, Matthew Krouse, Arts Editor - Mail and Guardian, Maria Kurian, Manager - Joint Economics AIDS and Poverty Programme, Elizabeth Lindbergh, Director - Joan St Leger Lindbergh Arts Foundation, Semane Molotlegi, Queen Mother of the Bafokeng Nation - Royal Bafokeng Administration, Rudolph Willemse, Director, Legal, Risk and Compliance - Old Mutual Finance (Pty) Ltd.

ABOUT ROBERT BROOKS, FOUNDER OF MIAGI

Music can bridge divides - this well-known statement has also been a conviction of tenor Robert Brooks for many years and it lead him to create MIAGI – Music Is A Great Investment.

Born in South Africa, Brooks left the country in 1979 to further his music education in Europe. He said an invitation to attend a summer course in Austria was the only opportunity he had to become a professional singer as such opportunities in South Africa were scarce at the time. Brooks thought he would be away from South Africa for two weeks, but it was only 20 years later that he together with his wife, the Finnish pianist Ingrid Hedlund, returned to South Africa.

During those 20 years, Brooks has established a reputation as a versatile and distinguished singer. However, his unwavering commitment and belief in the power of music led him to interrupt his professional singing career and return to his mother country to set up MIAGI (originally called the International Classical Music Festival or ICMF), a dynamic not-for-profit organization  aimed at empowering musicians throughout South Africa. But MIAGI is about more than this; it is also about promoting music education as an effective tool for positive social development.

“Arts and cultural activities act as catalysts for community revitalisation and regeneration efforts and can make a difference to health, crime and employment in communities where these needs are the greatest. Music also has an incredible and miraculous power. What is especially compelling is a combination of groundbreaking behavioural studies and neurological research that shows how music study, especially if begun in early childhood is far superior to computer instruction in dramatically enhancing children’s abstract reasoning skills, the skills necessary for learning maths and science. And music goes even further, far beyond that... ” Brooks explains, "I wish I could invite one of the greatest, historical authorities in this field to join us, the Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras, who as far as we can possibly know in modern times (Pythagoras studied at Heliopolis in Egypt and he died 500 BCE), used music in a highly methodical way. He used certain music to heal certain psychological and physical disturbances and diseases, he knew exactly 'what music to prescribe when', and was apparently an amazingly successful healer! Pythagoras is also nothing less than the 'father' of modern mathematics, and his theorem for musical scales, harmonies and intervals are still the root of Western music."

Since 2001, MIAGI has hosted an international, intercultural festival which has seen collaborations with artists and ensembles such as Miriam Makeba, Soweto String Quartet, Maxim Vengerov, Louis Moholo, Irene Schweizer, Ngqoko Women Xhosa over-tone singers, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Fazil Say, and the English Chamber Orchestra. MIAGI has also commissioned eleven major intercultural works (many of these works are now frequently performed during international tours and in South Africa), and facilitated numerous international opportunities and tours for South African soloists, ensembles and music students. Brooks and his colleagues at MIAGI spend most of their time working on and supporting music education initiatives. “Unfortunately the very nature of education means these projects will never be self-sustaining – they will always require funding – but we can make these projects sustainable by investing in humans so that they can have the know-how to set up the infrastructure and impart their knowledge, enabling them to link to other sustainable funding structures. MIAGI also gives budding artists, increased opportunities to build their careers locally, rather than feeling a need of leaving South Africa. MIAGI offers scholarships and has also set up a mentor protégé programme. We have already had many successful protégés go through the programme. One in particular, Pretty Yende, recently won an international singing competition in Verona which we are very excited about.”

"MIAGI is privileged in that we have the support of the South African and several European governments, UNICEF and both local and international corporates, luckily we are not alone with our convictions" Brooks says.

Brooks is convinced that music can play a fundamental role in the new South Africa, in the process of overcoming the negative repercussions of discrimination.

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Intercultural compositions - 2001 until today

MIAGI introduces South African music to audiences worldwide by commissioning new works combining indigenous and traditional with classical styles, thus promoting our music heritage internationally.

2001

• ‘Menu of Poetic Dances’ - overture by Mekinzewi for orchestra and indigenous instruments (talking drums and open-ended membrane drums) based on the African concept of music as sonic dance, and dance as visual music

Mekinzewi, Nigerian born composer and African percussionist, is currently professor of African Performance Practice at the University of Pretoria. This composition was written for the Soccajasco Kids destitute children initiative and chamber orchestra. It was premiered at the Festival by the Soccajasco Kids and the English Chamber Orchestra.

“The harmonic scheme of this work derives more from the matching and layering of complementing themes (the African social-creative philosophy of individuality in communality) than from chordal harmonic principles”. (Mekinzewi)

• 'Arrangements for Ladysmith Black Mambazo (LBM) and Chamber Orchestra' by Michael Hankinson

The UK born in South Africa active conductor/arranger/composer Michael Hankinson’s arrangements of some of legendary LBM creator Joseph Shabalala’s compositions - this blend of African classical Isicathamiya and the sounds of a Western classical orchestra was premiered at the Festival by LBM and the English Chamber Orchestra.

“The by-laws were tough...our boys could not carry on expressing themselves through their Ndlamu dance because it was illegal to do so in a municipal area. The Zulu dance they loved so much was prevented as the thumping and thudding were deemed to be contravening by-laws - legislated as  public disturbance. But nothing was to stop them to engage in their own thing, their sentimental song - they converted the laws into their own advantage and invented a new genre of music and dance. They copied the classical tonic sol-fa music of the white and merged it with their Zulu dancing but this time the foot stomping was polished and radically toned down into a  tap while rhythmically  sneaking around the dance floor. So, because their act on the dance floor, the soft tapping controlled voices (against  the thumping and thudding) and the  sneaking around, the genre was aptly named Isicathamiya - which is to sneak around". (Khaba Mkhize)

2002

'The Songs of Madosini' -  incidental music for mhruhbe, isitolotolo, uhadi, voice, clarinet quintet and narrator, based on a selection of songs by Latozi Mphaleni from Mpondoland (better known as Madosini), by Hans Huyssen

After having lived and studied in Europe for 14 years, South African-born Hans Huyssen returned home in pursuit of a to him relevant local form of contemporary music.

"With this work we wish to draw the attention on the precarious situation of this very form of music, which is on the verge of becoming extinct. If we succeed to step out of our conventional listening habits and lend Madosini our ears, she treats us with the invaluable experience of a musical expression, which, in its purity and stillness, can best be compared to the quality untouched pristine landscapes evoke - such as those, in which similar songs where resounding centuries ago. But best of all: Madosini is well alive; her music is no artificial tradition or dry reconstruction of something gone by. She carries within her a spirit, which hardly survives anymore in our rational and hectic times, but which deserves all the more to be nurtured by all who care for life's fully abundant and diverse expressions.”  (Hans Huyssen)

• 'Arrangements for the Soweto String Quartet (SSQ), Jazz-trumpet, Kora, Mbira and Chamber Orchestra' by Bruce Cassidy

Arrangements of SSQ hits, music by Ravel and Cassidy by Bruce Cassidy, Canadian born jazz trumpeter and composer who collaborated with some of the finest Jazz musicians of our time such as Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones and Oscar Peterson, for the Khemese brothers from Soweto - SSQ – the four first truly famous ‘classical’ representatives for the melding of classical music with their homeland’s traditional rhythms and musical styles (the arrangements can be heard on SSQ's ‘Our World’ CD featuring the Khemese brothers together with the MIAGI Orchestra).

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2003

• ‘Lifecycle’ – composition by Jeanne Zaidel–Rudolph for the Ngqoko Women Xhosa overtone singers and classical ensemble of wood winds, strings and percussion

South African composer Jeanne Zaidel–Rudolph, is a frequent guest composer and lecturer at festivals in Europe and the USA where she specialises in talks on indigenous African music and its influence on South African composers. The Ngqoko Women from Ladyfrere, a group of twelve Xhosa women representing traditional  Xhosa overtone singing from the Eastern Cape.

“The themes of their songs gave rise to the title, Lifecycle, which depicts very important aspects and religious and social occasions in the life of the community. I have attempted to facilitate the natural music and abilities of the group and have tried to embrace the spirit that is intrinsic in the music. The ‘overtone’ or ‘split tone’ singing generates earthy and vibrant colours and makes the music of this group unique and exciting. The singers accompany themselves with three kinds of bows and two drums, namely, the uhadi (calabash bow), the umrhube (mouth bow), the inkinge (friction bow with petrol tin), the ugubu (two-sided drum) and the umasengwane (friction drum). “ (Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph)

• 'Arrangements for Ladysmith Black Mambazo (LBM) and Chamber Orchestra' by Isak Roux

South African Composer and pianist Isak Roux, currently working and living in Germany, builds bridges between South African and European/American musical traditions. A series of arrangements for Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Chamber Orchestra have been premiered by the English Chamber Orchestra and LBM at the MIAGI Festival; at the inaugural Festival in 2001 (the arragements by Michael Hankinsson) and in 2003 (the arrangements by isak Roux). In 2005, the LBM CD, ‘No Boundaries’, featuring Roux's arrangements was released and nominated for Grammy Award in 2006. The arrangements include classical LBM hits based on indigenous music and the African colonial music culture, as well as choral works by Bach, Schubert and Mozart.

• ‘Composition for Sitar, Tabla, Oboe and Strings’ by Vevek Ram

Vevek Ram is one of the most renowned representatives (both as sitar player and composer) of Indian classical music in South Africa. A disciple of a.o. Ustad Shamim Ahmed Khan Mr Ram’s Musical System is North Indian - Hindustani Classical. The work was premiered at the MIAGI Festival in 2003 by the English Chamber Orchestra and soloists, Haren Tanna (tabla) and Vevek Ram (sitar). A later permiere of the revised version included oboist Paulus van der Merwe.

“The composition is based on the contemplative Raga called Parameshwan. The structure of the piece follows the tratdition of typical classical Indian music performance. The first part of any performance is called Alap, in which the principal mood of the Raga is introduced and developed. The second part of a performance is called Jor and is an extension of the Alap but with the exception that a rhythm is introduced. In the third section, the pizzicato strings provide a continuous beat reference in which the sitar and solo violin play the traditional Gat. The concluding section is the Jhala, characterized by fast Rhythm and melodic passages, ending with a Tihai which literally means pattern of three”. (Vevek Ram)

2005

'Arrangements for Miriam' - arrangements for one of South Africa's greatest, living legends Miriam Makeba, and a classical orchestra, by Denzil Weale

The performances of these arrangements at the MIAGI Festival 2005 were Makeba’s first performances in South Africa together with a classical orchestra and marked the beginning of her retreat from the stages of the world. Performer, arranger and composer Denzil Weale regularly collaborates with South Africa’s most renowned artists, both in South Africa and on extensive tours abroad.

Following Makeba hits were arranged by Weale: When I've Passed On - William Salter, Sunrise Sunset - J Bocks/S Harrnick, You Are In Love - William Salter, Sleep Tight - William Salter, Muntu (Lullaby) - Caiphus Semenya, Malaika, In Time  - Cedric Samson, Africa Is Where My Heart Lies - Marvin Moses, Umhome - Miriam Makeba

'Adaptations of Mozart and Kwela for Pennywhistles and Orchestra' by Isak Roux

The ‘50s were some of the worse years for black people, yet the music then created was upbeat and defiantly happy. The rural Pedi, Venda and Tswana had always used reed pipes for their ‘bush concertos’. The urban teenagers integrated this influence along with elements of imported American swing and the popular craze of African jazz. It was during this time that the grand plan to purge the streets and white suburbs of black faces really gathered momentum. Freedom of expression was forbidden by the State and the circle of street musicians playing pennywhistles were the target of a lot of police harassment. When rounding up the street musicians, in those days regarded by the state as a menace to society, the police would shout ‘kwela, kwela’ which means ‘climb up, climb up’ (into the police van). Kwela was popularized by Lemmy 'Special' Mabaso, who performed on streets and at local functions (discovered by promoters at age ten). The standard line-up was two penny-whistles, a home-made guitar and tea-chest bass. After 'Tom Hark' was recorded by Elias and Jakes Lerole (photograph of Jakes at the top right on the 'about us' page), the term was used indiscriminately to describe any black township music.

At the MIAGI Festival 2005 the three brothers from the Sowetan pennywhistle group Kwela Tebza were joined by their legendary father Elias Lerole and the MIAGI Orchestra.

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2007

•  ‘Ciacona & Tshikona – Dance from North and South' - composition for Thikundwi kha Sialala (Venda Ngoma drummers and dancers), kudu horns and orchestra by Hans Huyssen

This composition relies on a Western orchestra to meet the demands of the concert situation, in which the music itself makes the running and the audience is involved only passively, but its essential structure is derived from an African from of musical expression embedded in the social occasion, when people gather to participate actively.

Tshikona is the Venda national dance and the most important form of communal music. Tshikona is ‘the time when people rush to the scene of the dance and leave their pots to boils over’: it ‘makes old men throw away their sticks and dance’ and ‘brings peace to the countryside’. Tshikona needs a set of drums – ngoma, murumba, and mutungwa – and many dancers, each playing a differently tuned reed-pipe. The music is structured so that each participant provides just a single note, like a coloured strand in a woven cloth. To play one’s part of the melody while moving in harmony in a large crowd of performers and spectators generates individuality in community and so combines self with others in a way fundamental to Venda culture. Soon after the tshikona ensemble has been introduced, its energy engulfs the whole orchestra, drawing everyone into the swirl of a musical carousel in which eventually even the Western instruments sacrifice their individualistic expression and succumb to the excitement of an ecstatic communal experience.

The first historic record of a chaconne (tshikona?) mentions it as a ‘wild and sensual’ Mexican dance imported into sixteenth-century Spain. Could this be etymological evidence of an ancient connection between American and African cultures? It is an intriguing thought!

2008

• ‘Coming Home’ - jazz gospel cantata by Isak Roux, sung and spoken in English, Zulu, Sesotho and Afrikaans

Coming home was written for the MIAGI 2008 Festival and the following performers; Sibongile Khumalo (mezzo soprano), Robert Brooks (tenor), Thinus Maree (baritone), Sibongile Mngoma (narrator), Isak Roux (piano) with the Gauteng Choristers, the Chamber Orchestra of Johannesburg and an all star jazz rhythm section conducted by Kutlwano Masote.

The work takes the form of a multilingual cantata, drawing on the biblical story of the Prodigal Son the work combines musical and narrative forms to dramatise a basic facet of the human condition: the definitive role of one's origins and cultural heritage in bringing value and meaning to life. Roux creates a synthesis of Afro-American 'negro-spiritual' tradition and local ethnic jazz-kwela and other township rhythms. This African fusion is set within the classical choral-cantata genre to produce a powerful blending of vocal and orchestral effects. The use of indigenous texts reinforces the final joyful theme of a troubled wanderer returning home to rediscover his true identity and refresh his spirit.

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2009

• Jazz Fantasia by the late South African composer, Gideon Nxumalo was arranged for Symphony Orchestra and Big Band by leading South African pianist and arranger, Denzil Weale.

The work was performed in the Linder Auditorium on 2 May, 2009 and during the MIAGI Youth Orchestra & Youth BigBand tour of Germany, to the Sommerliche Musiktage Festival in Kasse and the Young Euro Classic festival (YEC) in Berlin. YEC is one of the most perstigous festivals of it's kind in the world, and it is held annually at the Berlin Konzerthaus. Upon our return to South Africa the MIAGI Youth Orchestra hosted the National Youth Orchestra and National Youth Big Band of the Federal Republic of Germany during their tour of South Africa between 27 August and 08 September. The two orchestras shared a common repertoire piece during the two tours in the form of Nxumalo's Jazz Fantasia.

Gideon Nxumalo

Gideon Nxumalo, perhaps one of South Africa’s greatest unsung musical heroes. A gifted composer, writer, actor and artist Nxumalo was largely self-taught. He became an accomplished pianist but also played various instruments such as the clarinet, cello, the viola and what he called ‘the chopi chopsticks’ – the marimba. He composed orchestral works, plays, musicals, symphonies, overtures, jingles and musical themes and worked as music teacher and a talent scout and had a great influence on those he taught, amongst them the likes of Philip Tabane, Morris Manana and Allen Kwela. Gideon Nxumalo or Mgibe, as his admirers called him, passed away on 24 December 1970 at the young age of 40, but his works remain.

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