DIZU PLAATJIES & IBUYAMBO and The Cape Malay Choir Board, 3 December 2011

The Internationally Acclaimed Dizu Plaatjies Ibuyambo Ensemble
In collaboration with Kronendal Music Academy of Hout Bay
PLUS
The Cape Malay Choir Board
presents an evening of beautiful music.

Date: 3 December 2011
Time: 6:30pm for 7pm
Venue: Kronendal Primary School, 10 Andrews Road, Hout Bay

R95 Adults, R80 pensioners and students
Pre-Sale tickets available from Kronendal Primary School 8:30am to 2pm

All proceeds go to sponsored music tuition in the Hout Bay Community.

For more information call 082 3314062
http://www.kmahoutbay.org/
kma{@}intekom.co.za
please remove curlies {} when using email

Dizu Plaatjies, the son of a traditional healer, grew up in Cape Town, South Africa where he is the founder and former leader of the group Amampondo in the late 80’s. He toured and recorded with them for 15 years, journeying across continents, festivals and stages.

The group took part in the concert given for Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday. A little later, the show Feel the Pulse of Africa brought them commercial fame in South Africa, as well as in Europe and the United States.

The post-Amampondo period began in 2003 with a solo album, Ibuyambo. On this disc, Dizu has fun mixing styles that are traditional or non-traditional, African or western. In the years that followed, IBUYAMBO toured all over the world and, at the same time, worked on a second solo album, "African Kings," which he recorded in 2008. This project relies essentially on an alliance of sub-Saharan traditional instruments with acoustic guitar, with a contemporary approach. The disc won the award for best African independent music album at South Africa's SAMA Awards in 2009.

In addition, in 2009, he benefited from an artists' residency in the Paris area to create a unique show, Umculowethu, in collaboration with two French jazz musicians. In similar vein, he spent part of 2010 recreating the Intsholo project with his musicians and a brass orchestra.

Something that never changes with Dizu Plaatjies is a constant search for new collaborations that enable him to enhance his repertory and inspiration. On stage, Dizu Plaatjies is accompanied by musicians dressed in traditional costumes from various parts of Africa, wearing body paint and playing a range of instruments including drums, flutes, mbira, Uganda harp and the kudu horns.

When not on stage, he has no time to get bored: he is an instructor in various creative workshops in the United States, Scandinavia and the Netherlands. Dizu is also the head of African Studies at the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town.

"Great melodies, good arrangements, haunting voice, a deep knowledge of his regional musical history and a willingness to incorporate pan-African musical influences," all make Dizu a standout musician, notes Canada's "Sunfest" MC Philly Markowitz.

The CAPE MALAY CHOIR BOARD was formed at no. 77 Whale Street, Cape Town in 1939 after an initial concert in 1938 in the Cape Town City Hall, organised by the late DR. I.D. Du Plessis (writer, poet, journalist) and famous rugby player, the late Bennie Osler with 8 choirs in total.

The idea was to establish a central organisation to foster and promote the traditional singing of the Cape Malay community. The ensuing annual choral competitions ensured that the standard of singing could steadily be improved and the traditional songs preserved. 72 years later it has gone from strength to strength, with more than thirty choirs on its roll call. Membership to the board is open to any individual, irrespective of their religious affiliations.

A short history of the Cape Malay Singing Tradition:

Although physically and culturally isolated from their country of origin, they sang songs conceived in bondage. Gradually the settler’s songs of love and life in Europe and of drama on the high seas were incorporated into their repertoire, including a number of songs written from historical happenings:
For example, the beloved "Hier Kom Die Alibama" cam about when, in July 1863 Governor Woodhouse of the Cape was informed that the Alibama was in Saldanha Bay, in hot pursuit of the enemy vessel, The Sea Bride. As the Sea Bride was forced into Table Bay, curious onlookers who lined the shores of Table Bay, Greenpoint, and who had never seen a steamer before were overjoyed when the Alibama defeated the enemy vessel and it wasn’t long before the victory tale became a folk song.

Present membership 38 choirs which makes the Cape Malay Chior Board the biggest multinational, multicultural organization of its kind. The uniqueness of the choirs are that they sing without the aid of a conductor.
The CMCB Choir
This choir is selected from members of various affiliated choirs of the board. The choir has made a major contribution to the promotion of public relations by performing giving freely of it services to many societies, not only locally but also in other parts of our country, including all sections of the community.
Instruments that are used:
Banjo, guitar, violin, mandoline double base and Ghoema drum are used in the comic song; Amplified instruments are very seldom used

The songs fall under four groups - the traditional wedding songs, Dutch folksongs of various kinds, moppies (comic songs) and ghoemaliedjies (picnic songs). The folksong is an important feature of the Cape Malay community and can be heard on many social occasions, especially at weddings, where traditional love songs are sung. These are the only songs in which a trace of the east remains, with the soloist singing in quarter tones and the choir joining in on the European tonal scale.

KRONENDAL MUSIC ACADEMY OF HOUT BAY

On November the 15th KMA Director, Ms Dwyn Griesel was awarded the 2011 Inyathelo Philanthropy in the Arts Award for the Academy’s work in Hout Bay.

In 2007 Kronendal Music Academy was formed to address the ongoing lack of cultural stimulation which faces the youth and the community as a whole in Hout Bay. KMA's main focus has always been to provide music education in as many forms and styles as possible to Hout Bay's under-privileged and economically challenged communities, while fostering a platform from which to initiate racial and social interaction and integration amongst the three very distinct communities in the area:

• Imizamu Yethu informal settlement
• The Hangberg fishing village
• The affluent 'valley' residents

There are many professionals from various walks of life involved in the administration, funding and development of the Academy, and the nature of the organisation is that it requires a creative and innovative approach in order to secure a viable future for culture in Hout Bay.

Starting from scratch, KMA initiated individual music tuition, group activities, ensembles, workshops and community events, as well as a Youth Choir of 65 pupils. Since day one, all of its activities have successfully united members from the three areas and the Academy has become synonymous with integration development. At any given time KMA has a minimum of 40 individual learners in lessons with teachers who specialize in cello, violin, classical guitar, rock and jazz guitar, piano, bass, vocal training, recorder, drum kit, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and trombone. The methodology is designed to be fluid and adapts to the needs of the learners and logistical challenges of the community at large. We have managed to maintain our initial activities and develop to a point where we are also currently offering various ensemble projects, workshops, weekly community singing evenings and regular performances.

Posted in: Cape Malay Choir Board, Dizu Plaatjies, Kronendal Music Academy