37th International Viola Congress - Photo Potpourri - visit our 'CMCM' page!
Since 2001, MIAGI has hosted an international, intercultural festival ‘uniting the power of classical indigenous and jazz’ in collaborations with dazzling soloists and ensembles from South Africa and abroad. Among them, Maxim Vengerov, Thikundwi kha Sialala, Bruce Cassidy, Fazil Say, Miriam Makeba, the MIAGI Youth Orchestra & Youth BigBand, Sibongile Khumalo, Soweto String Quartet, Louis Moholo, Irene Schweizer, Madosini, the Ngqoko Women, Sergei Nakariakov, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the English Chamber Orchestra to mention just a few.
Photos from MIAGI 2001 until today at our 'Album' page...
News
ABOUT THE SIMPHIWE DANA SYMPHONY EXPERIENCE - AN UP-COMING MIAGI PRODUCTION
Simphiwe in her own words:
"South Africa has gone through a lot of changes coloured with different emotions and experiences in the past three decades. It has been a period of going through different phases of awareness, some of them sometimes overlapping. The music industry as well has undergone similar transitions. From bubblegum in the 80's to kwaito of the 90's and now the difficult transition to a more sophisticated sound, what some choose to call afrojazz or afrosoul. This is not to say jazz did not exist in the 80's and 90's, but never has it been taken up by the young people like it has been in this decade. We have seen an explosion of the sound which has brought a lot of attention from the international world. The distinct African identity and sophistication with which these young people have carried this legacy, hopefully makes the mothers and fathers of South African jazz proud. There came Thandiswa, Zamajobe, Siphokazi, I, and a new young lady called Camagwini, to mention some.
I strongly believe that this is the kind of music that authenticates us, because pop exists in all different communities of the world…but it is usually this more sophisticated music that informs it, maps out and defines the sounds of the future also.
We have entered an age where we personally engage our environment. A meditative state, if you will allow me. We now understand that we are the change that must happen in our existence and for our existence to thrive. This requires an internal dialogue that then translates to visible individual attempts to shape our immediate future environment I believe that no one should underestimate the power of the arts when it comes to this regard. I wrote my music with this vision in mind, it has taken time to grow it, like any good brew.
Yours in the art of music, Simphiwe Dana".
IN MEMORIAM MIRIAM MAKEBA
In 2004 and 2005, MIAGI had the honour and joy of working with Mama Africa, and to experience her exemplary artistry, paired with an immaculate professionalism and righteousness - the three corner stones that make a truly great artist and human.
Realising the MIAGI idea would not have been possible without generous and compassionate support from our international star-guests - Thank you!
Dear MYO & MYBB Parents/Guardians - Welcome to join the MIAGI Parents/Guardian Association!
Cntact Dawn de Souza for more information: parents@miagi.co.za/tel.: 082 710 4487/011 450 4811 and read her letter on our MIAGI Facebook page (direct link from the logo to the page):
MIAGI YOUTH ORCHESTRA & YOUTH BIG BAND TOUR OF EUROPE 2012
An array of fascinating speakers with equally fascinating subjects at the TED x Soweto event, that took place at the Cape Gate MIAGI Centre for Music on 24 September 2011.
Click the logo above, for more information on TEDxSoweto!
Thank you to Cape Gate Holdings for the wonderful centre building and to the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund - Principal MIAGI Funder - for funding the initial setting up and running of the centre!
Video clips from the Opening Ceremony of the Cape Gate MIAGI Centre for Music in Soweto, 29 May 2011:
http://vimeo.com/24502080 Members of the African Youth Ensemble welcoming the guests into the Centre Hall.
http://vimeo.com/24501803 Members of the Morris Isaacson High School Choir busking at the party hosted by the donor of the building, Cape Gate Holdings.
MYO & MYBB 2010:
The MIAGI Youth Orchestra and Youth BigBand conducted by Sasha Mäkilä, Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, celebrated MIAGI's 10th Anniversary with a 'Rebirth' concert in the Linder Auditorium on 1 May, 2010.
Programme: the MIAGI-commissioned South African piece by Steve Dyer called ‘Rebirth', Igor Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, Alexander Mosolov's Zavod, also known as ‘Machine Music' and one of the most beautiful romantic miniatures ever written, Franz Schmidt's famous Entr'acte.
MYO & MYBB 2009:
You can listen to the MIAGI Youth Orchestra at the Young Euro Classic Festival playing Dvorak's Symphony #9 at the Konzerthaus in Berlin, 14 August 2009:
here a link to a short film by Deutsche Welle World about our youth orchestra tour to Germany...
... visit our ‘Education’ page for more information.
"When the audience begins to dance in a packed hall one thinks one MUST be dreaming!: The MiagiYouth Orchestra sings, swings, dances and brought, not only with Dvorak's famous symphony, ‘New Worlds' to the Berlin."Der Tagesspiegel
"For this event, the Berlin Konzerthaus hall seating 1 700 could easily have been sold out twice, such was the demand for tickets."Ulrich Deppendorf - director of the ARD television station.
"Congrats to all members of the Orchestra for the Berlin concert! It was one of the best performances I have ever experienced in my life! If I ever needed inspiration for my work I got it from the first to the last minute of your concert!"Blasko Smilevski - Secretary General of Jeunesses Musicales International
from Minnesota, USA performed for an enthusiastic audience at the Cape Gate MIAGI Centre for Music - CMCM - on 29 January!
The CMCM is located on the premises of the Morris Isaacson High School, Mputhi Street, Central Western Jabavu, Soweto
ABOUT THE GUSTAVUS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Founded in 1888 following the establishment of a School of Music at Gustavus Adolphus College in the previous year, the College's orchestra has grown to be a full symphonic orchestra performing a broad selection of music.
The Gustavus Symphony Orchestra regularly performs with faculty and guest soloists, as well as other campus ensembles, at events such as Christmas in Christ Chapel and the internationally recognized Nobel Conference, In October of 200], the orchestra premiered the Nobel Symphony, commissioned by Gustavus Adolphus College in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the awarding of the first Nobel Prizes. The premiere performance of this work, written by the award-winning American composer and alumnus Steve Heitzeg, was featured on National Public Radio's All Things Considered.
The Gustavus Symphony Orchestra has a membership of about 60 student musicians - of which only ten percent are majoring in music. This ensemble tours annually, and once every four years travels abroad for a unique musical and cultural experience. In the spring of 2000, the orchestra made its European debut, performing in England, Scotland, and Wales. In January and February of 2004, the group embarked on a ground-breaking concert tour in China and made a return visit in January of 2008.
Dr. Ruth Lin is the Director of Symphony Orchestra at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter Minnesota. From 2007 to 2009, Dr. Lin served as the Director of Orchestral Activities at Iowa State University, where she conducted the Iowa State Symphony Orchestra and taught beginning and advanced instrumental conducting as well as other music classes.
MIAGI wishes Everybody happy continuation to the New Year!
‘GILBERTO GIL AT THE MARKET THEATRE ’ with special guest appearance by Vusi Mahlasela - the two events on 12 and 13 May 2011 were sold out and the audience seemed to be happy with their investment!
The events were filmed to be featured in the exciting new documentary film on Gilberto Gil’s life and vision, ‘Connecting South’.
Also featured: Paul Hanmer, Xhosa Muse Madosini, MIAGI Youth Orchestra conducted by Kutlwano Masote, Wits Choir and Fatima Choral Community Choir from Soweto -
Legendary singer, composer, writer, and thinker Gilberto Gil’s musical work has been influenced by the great variety of sounds from the Northeast of Brazil, but also samba, bossa-nova, rock and reggae. Gil, whose career goes back to the 1960’s creation of the “tropicalist” movement, released his first records internationally following a very successful presence at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1978. Since then Brazilian Super Star Gil has spent a great part of his active time travelling the world, addressing the conflicts of our reality tin his unique visionary way hrough his poetry.
MIAGI has for the past ten years wowed fans across South Africa with its exciting Festival and events, celebrating the unity in diversity of our musical heritage by fusing distinctly African with Western classical sounds.
By offering an international platform for intercultural creative dialogue, MIAGI has brought people together that would otherwise never meet.
Venda Ngoma Drummers and Dancers and the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra
Thikundwi kha Sialala – Venda Ngoma Drummers and Dancers met the musicians and the audience of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra www.cpo.org.za.
Click here to watch and listen to excerpts from this event on Youtube!
Footprint Trio (Nhlanhla Mahlangu, Viwe Mkizwana and Bhekinkosi Hlatshwayo, all from the MIAGI Youth Orchestra & Youth BigBand) gave a World Cup performance on 22 June at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Pretoria.
Thokozani Brothers, directed by Mhlangabezi Masizana, - tour of Switzerland, May/June 2010, facilitated by MIAGI. The Thokozani Brothers is community project based in a high rate crime area of Cape Town. The project, estblished in 1997, offers unemployed young men a meaningful occupation, and an alternative source of income, by giving them regular training in the traditional Isicathamiya music and dance style. The project is further committed to improving the mostly severely adverse living conditions of the youth in the area.
THE JMI YAMA AWARD - AN INITIATIVE OF JEUNESSES MUSICALES INTERNATIONAL
Click on the logo below for link to the YAMA website!
The YAMA aims to identify and support cutting-edge productions that impact young people both socially and artistically, with a focus on targeting and engaging vulnerable/at-risk groups of youth from marginalized communities and deprived areas, addressing issues of vital concern (eg. violence, poverty, discrimination, abuse, HIV/AIDS) and that use music as a tool to promote inter-cultural dialogue and understanding.
MIAGI Youth Orchestra and Bundesjugendorchester Germany - Rare music uncovered!
The Goethe-Institut funded the arrangement of a work by one of South Africa´s greatest unsung musical heroes - the Jazz Fantasia by Gideon Nxumalo. MIAGI commissioned Denzil Weale to arrange the work for full symphony orchestra and big band. MIAGI´s Youth Orchestra and Youth Big Band as well as Germany´s Youth Orchestra (Bundesjugendorchester) have included the work in their reprtoires.
One of MIAGI’s primary objectives is to offer South African artists the opportunity to perform internationally and thus make audiences abroad aware of their exceptional quality and standing. It is not always easy for South African musicians, especially for those that do not perform in the pop or jazz arena, to find their way to the most competitive and prestigious stages and Festivals in the world.
We are grateful to the NLDTF's Arts and Culture Distribution Agency for allocating a multi year funding grant to MIAGI - thank you!
MIAGI has throughout the years frequently received generous funding through the NLDTF. Without your support, a large number of all the initiatives, projects and events documented on this website would not have been possible.
News
Donné de Kock - success at the Artscape National Youth Music Competion held in Cape Town on 15 October, 2011!
Donné de Kock, violin, member of the MIAGI Youth Orchestra and the MIAGI mentor & protégé programme, won 2nd prize in the Artscape National Youth Music Competition – congratulations Donne!
The 29th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition 2010!
Inga Lehr, finalist in the category operetta and Musa Ngqungwana, finalist in the category opera
Musa was one of 15 singers selected from a total of 134 singers from 39 countries who qualified for the final round in the category opera. In the final also baritone Luthando Qave from South Africa who lately has studied in Stockholm and now will be continuing his studies within the Metropolitan Opera Young Singers' programme in New York.
On July 9, 2010, Musa performed in the Belvedere competition prize winners' Gala Concert.
As in 2009, MIAGI facilitated the qualifying round for the competition in South Africa and funded and organised the trip for two of the most successful candidates this year, Nozuko Teto and Musawenkosi Ngqungwana. Congratulations to Musa and to Nozuko for their successful parttaking in this prestigous competition, one of the most renowned and biggest singing competitions world-wide.
Pretty Yende at the Belvedere Competition award ceremony in 2009
In 2009, Pretty Yende won all first prizes in the final. Pretty is now singing at the La Scala in Milano within the Teatro alla Scala Academy programme .
Congratulations David!
The MIAGI supported singer/composer/song writer David Imani from the DRC has recently signed his first recording contract
In August 2008 David became more known to the South African public through his success performance during the Free To Be concert, produced by MIAGI and hosted by the SADC Secretariat, the Southern Africa Trust and MTN at the WITS University Great Hall.
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