News & Events

08.06.2011
Busy first quarter of 2011

Some highlights:

During the Stellenbosch Woordfees a selection of films from the South African artist, writer and filmmaker, Aryan Kaganof, were screened. The selection focussed on his musically focussed films and was presented under the auspices of DOMUS, the Documentation Centre for Music at the University of Stellenbosch. In the Kaganof festival twenty short films and documentaries were chosen to investigate a variety of South African music styles, such as blues, jazz and kwaito, and associated issues. The film series consisted of five consecutive nights of screening; where approximately four of his works were screened per night. These screenings included films such as Sharp Sharp! The Kwaito Story; Click Here to Unsubscribe; Unyazi of the Bushveld; The Legendary Syd Kitchen in G String Blues; A Willing Suspension of Disbelief; Bantu Continua Uhuru Nihilismus;; Gare Itshebeng and more.

Well known rock band Rontoer had a roaring performance on the 25^th of March at the AmaZink amphitheatre.

World-renowned musicians Daniel Rowland (violin) and Luis Magalhaes (piano) performed short pieces written for the violin and piano on the 30^th of March, whilst providing descriptions throughout the performance. Afterwards, in collaboration with ENS and Two Pianists, guests enjoyed a proudly South African dinner which had an Afro-fusion collaboration between AmaZink’s Loyiso “Roots” Mbambo and celebrity chef Bertus Basson of Overture Restaurant.

The Stellenbosch Literary Project (SLIP) held its inaugural InZync poetry session at AmaZink on the 1^st of April. The show which hosted poets Primrose Mrwebi, Ingrid de Kok, Mbali Vilakazi, Finuala Dowling and Khayamandi poets Bongo Flepu, Mxolisi Majola, Mambesi Gole, Abongile Khwaza and Mr O proved that blending different styles, cultural approaches and languages is both possible and exciting. Among the poets who participated were the poets Louis Esterhuizen, Pieter Odendaal, Denise Grey, Adriaan Different, Tladi Tsitsi, Grace Kim and Lwandile No Poet. The event unleashed invigorating energy expressing a sense of belonging at the level of verbal and bodily utterance of poetry. For more information on the event and SLIP, visit http://slipnet.co.za/view/event/first-inzync-poetry-session-rich-and-raucous/.

In a first ever in South Africa the Berlin Philharmonic’s Digital Concert Hall came to the iKhaya Trust Centre on 3 April. Umculo/Cape Festival presented the screening of Richard Strauss’ opera Salome. In preparation for this performance, Umculo/Cape Festival and the IKhaya Trust Centre offered workshops for learners and their teachers who would be attending, using a method called Scenic Interpretation, developed by German music pedagogue Rainer O. Brikmann, where participants take on the role of one of the characters.To see a video clip of the workshop and screening go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPQV_x1WXOI.