Individual & collaborative concerts with enthusiastic audiences Workshops with celebrated local choral conductors Outreach and musical exchanges Once in a lifetime sightseeing Scenic safaris and African drumming
annual Choral Festival each July since 2009
Introduction to Ihlombe Classical Movements Inc. is pleased to bring you the Ihlombe! South African Choral Festival presented annually since 2009. Classical Movements Inc. has been touring to South Africa since 1994 and we greatly admire their beautiful and diverse choral traditions. Our festival incorporates diverse South African ensembles from traditional, ethnic, classical, church choirs, university and symphonic ensembles of all demographics into our festival to present an accurate picture of South African music and culture. We have made an extraordinary effort to ensure that all our venues and local and foreign choirs are rich in diversity and of the highest standards. We are honored that some of the most prominent South Africa choirs have joined our festival, and of course we are proud of the excellent international choirs that have made a long journey to visit this beautiful land. THE MEANING OF IHLOMBE The Xhosa use Ihlombe, a word that has no equivalent in the English language, to express the transcendental feeling induced by music. It transports people to a state of overwhelming joy in which they become so acutely moved that they are compelled to stand up and participate. In Zulu Ihlombe translates into applause, what better way to describe this festival and the beautiful choral traditions of South Africans.
Why Ihlombe! with Classical Movements Classical Movements has very close relationships with the leading choirs, venues, orchestras and top music organizations in South Africa. It is our belief that each concert tour should be a joyous learning experience and include enthusiastic audiences; here are additional reasons to travel with us to South Africa for the Ihlombe! South African Choral Festival. CULTURAL IMMERSION Workshop opportunities to sing and dance with traditional Cape Malay, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans & English Choirs. Varied and dramatic itineraries, from classical to traditional concerts and visits to tourist venues and a wildlife safari. A belief that a tour to South Africa should show case the many faces of South Africa- displaying the multiple cultures that make up this fascinating rainbow nation. Visits to major sights can include the Cape of Good Hope, Table Mountain, Scenic Drives, Wildlife Safaris, Apartheid museum, Soweto, Robben Island and other historic locations. Authentic foods and a traditional South African “braai� in varied settings which can include African drumming. Outreach opportunities, choir exchanges in poorer communities, orphanage visits and school exchanges give your ensemble opportunities to collaborate and potentially give to youth choral and music programs in South Africa
Why Ihlombe! with Classical Movements Continued AMAZING PERFORMANCES Each concert is hosted by a local South African music ensemble, showcasing the musical facets of this country, including Traditional African choral ensembles, drumming, rhythms and internationally award-winning choirs. Concert proceeds to benefit South African music groups and local choirs. Home stays and hosting options with collaborating choirs are available. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE Classical Movements has had groups visiting South Africa since 1994 (the year Nelson Mandela was elected). A South African and many musicians on the Classical Movements staff to understand your group’s specific needs. Classical Movements owns and produces the Ihlombe! South African Choral festival since 2009 and has now had over 125 choirs participate since its inception. Classical Movements also produces numerous customized tours to South Africa on a regular basis which can be tailored to your individual expectations. Contacts in all major towns in South Africa, including Pretoria, Soweto, Johannesburg, Sandton, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown, George, Bloemfontein, Potchefstroom, Alberton and Winterton, to name some of those most recently visited.
Premiere Concert Venues
Cultural Exchanges & Collaborations
Incredible Sightseeing
Festival Choir Participants from All over the World
Past Ihlombe Participants AFRICAN CHORD MELODIES Gugulethu, SA AFRICAN YOUTH CHOIR Diepkloof , SA ALL SAINTS BLIND CHOIR Ga Rankuwa, SA
AMAZWI KA NTHU CHOIR Tshwane, SA AMABHUKUDWANA Johannesburg, SA AMICI DE LUMINE CHOIR Mowbray, SA AMY BIEHL YOUTH CHOIR Khayelitsha, SA ATLANTA YOUNG SINGERS Atlanta, Georgia USA BETHEL YOUTH CHOIR Khayelitsha, SA BISHOP ANTSEY HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR Trinidad and Tobago BONGWENI MALE CHOIR Khayelitsha, SA C&N ORANJE MEISIESKOOR Bloemfontein, SA CANTARE CHILDREN'S CHOIR Alberton, SA CAPE TOWN MALE VOICE CHOIR Cape Town, SA
CAPE TOWN YOUTH CHOIR Cape Town, SA CENESTRA MALE CHOIR East Rand, SA CHAMBER CHOIR OF SOUTH AFRICA - East Rand, SA CHANTICLEER SINGERS Johannesburg, SA CHILDREN'S CHORUS OF WASHINGTONWashington DC, USA CHRIST THE KING CHURCH CHOIR Kampala, Uganda CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION CHOIRBonteheuwel, SA COLLEGE VOCAL DE LAVAL Laval, Canada CON SPIRITO ENSEMBLE Bloemfontein, SA DALEY ROAD SINGERS (Australian National University) Canberra, Australia DF MALAN HIGH SCHOOL GIRL CHOIR Cape Town, SA DONALDIAN ENSEMBLE Owerri, Nigeria
DRAKENSBERG BOYS' CHOIR Winterton, SA
Past Ihlombe Participants - Cont. EAST CAPE YOUTH CHOIR Port Elizabeth, SA EAST RAND YOUTH CHOIR East Rand, SA EASTERN CAPE CHILDREN'S CHOIR Port Elizabeth, SA EERSTERIVIER-SOUTH UNITING REFORM YOUTH CHOIR - Eersterivier, SA EKURHULENI CHILDREN'S CHOIR Ekhurhuleni, SA ERUB CHILDREN'S CHOIR Cape Town, SA FERRUM HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR New Castle, SA FEZEKA ALUMNI CHOIR Gugulethu, SA FEZEKA HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR Gugulethu, SA HARMONIA GIRLS CHOIR Alberton, SA HEAVENLY SOULS MALE CHOIR Soweto, SA HERSCHEL CHORALE Cape Town, SA
IGUGU LE KAPA CHAMBER CHOIR Cape Town, SA IMBIZO Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
IMILONJI KANTU CHORAL SOCIETY Soweto, SA IMPUMELELO SHINGING STARS Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
INKANYEZI ZEZULU Bulawayo, Zimbabwe JACARANDA CHILDREN'S CHOIR Pretoria, SA JOYFUL HARMONIES Gugulethu, SA KENSINGTON CHORALE Kensington, SA KENMERE PRIMARY JUNIOR SCHOOL Kenmere, SA LESEDI CHURCH OF CHRIST CHOIR Lesedi, SA LIRICA CHOIR - Belgium LORETO CONVENT SCHOOL CHOIR Pretoria, SA LOS ANGELES CHILDREN'S CHOIR Los Angeles, California, USA MAMELODI MELODIC VOICES Mamelodi, SA MANYANO HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR Khayelitsha, SA MASONWABE ADULT CHOIR Langa, SA
Past Ihlombe Participants - Cont. MECER CITY OF TYGERBERG CHOIR Tygerberg, SA MEDICINE HAT COLLEGE GIRLS’ CHOIR Canada MELODIES OF DIEPSLOOT Diepsloot, SA MELOMONIA VOCALWAVES East Rand, SA MIAMI CHILDREN'S CHORUS Miami, Florida, USA
MKHUSELI YOUNG ADULT CHOIR Khayelitsha, SA MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY CHOIR Baltimore, MD, USA MPUMALANGA YOUTH CHOIR Mpumalanga, SA MT. SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE CHAMBER SINGERS - Los Angeles, USA NAZARETH YOUTH CHOIR Khayelitsha, SA NELSON MANDELA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY LE-STRADA CHORALE Port Elizabeth, SA NEW AMSTERDAM SINGERS New York City, USA NEW ZEALAND SECONDARY STUDENTS' CHOIR - New Zealand NORCO CHOIR (NORCO COLLEGE) Norco, California, USA
NORTHERN KWAZULUNATAL YOUTH CHOIR New Castle, SA NORTHWESTERN HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR Baltimore, USA PAARL BOYS' HIGH CANTARE VOCAL ENSEMBLE Paarl, SA PACIFIC BOYCHOIR Oakland, CA, USA PALISSANDER CHAMBER CHOIR Pretoria, SA PEART MEMORIAL SONGSTERS Jabavu, SA PRETORIA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR Pretoria, SA RANDBURG HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR Randburg, SA SEATTLE CHILDREN’S CHORUS Seattle, USA SINGERS MARIN GIRL CHOIR San Francisco, California, USA SINGING SENSATIONS YOUTH CHOIR Baltimore, Maryland, USA SOUL SOUNDS Colombo, Sri Lanka
Past Ihlombe Participants - Cont. SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH CHOIR South Africa SOUTH CAPE CHILDREN'S CHOIR George, SA
SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR Soweto, SA S.T.A.R.S (Singers Taking Action Reaching Souls)- USA ST. MARK'S SCHOOL OF TEXAS BOYS CHOIR Dallas, Texas, USA ST. STITHIANS BOYS COLLEGE CHOIR Randburg, SA STATISTICS SOUTH AFRICA CHOIR Pretoria, SA ST. CHARLES LWANGA CATHOLIC CHURCH CHOIR - Soshanguve, SA STELLENBOSCH KONSERVATORIUM VOCAL ENSEMBLE - Stellenbosch, SA STELLENBOSCH MADRIGAL SINGERS Stellenbosch, SA ST. PETER CLAVER YOUTH CHOIR Mamelodi, SA ST. THERESA CHOIR (STAYPC) Soweto, SA SYMPHONY CHOIR OF JOHANNESBURG Johannesburg, SA THE DUKE OF CORNWALL SINGERS Randburg, SA
TORONTO CHILDREN'S CHOIR Toronto, Canada TSWELOPELE CHORUS Tshwane, SA UNIVERSITAS PRIMARY SCHOOL CHOIR Bloemfontein, SA UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG CHOIRJohannesburg, SA UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN WOMEN'S GLEE CLUB Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE CHORAL CHOIR Bloemfontein, SA
UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE CHOIR Cape Town, SA VISION DETROIT SCHOOL OR ARTS MALE ENSEMBLE - USA VIVACIOUS SOUND Jabavu, SA WITS CHOIR, UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND Johannesburg, SA WOMEN OF NOTE Victoria, Australia YALE WHIFFENPOOFS Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
What Participants Are saying about Ihlombe Joan Gregoryk, Music Director – Children’s Chorus of Washington “The Children's Chorus of Washington has just returned from the 2010 Ihlombe! South African Choral Festival, and choristers, chaperones and staff all agreed that this was the most enriching and life-changing tour we have taken. The shared concerts with the other international choruses and the South African choirs were musically exciting and the visits to the historic sites that have shaped the recent history of South Africa, including Robben Island, were sobering. We all loved staying at the Game Park and going on the Safari, and were amazed by the physical beauty of the country, including Table Mountain, Cape Town Waterfront, and the Cape Peninsula. We at CCW are grateful to Classical Movements for having the vision to plan and carry out all the details that made this such a memorable tour." Casey White, Musical Director - Daley Roads Singers ( Australia) “Thank you for the most wonderful South African Experience. I have had the most wonderful and moving time, and have fallen in love with this amazing country.” Timothy Sharp, Music Director – Miami Children’s Chorus “This was the best travel/performance experience I have ever had. The choirs we performed with were outstanding as were the excursions. The history of South Africa is worth exploring. Classical Movements has crafted an experience in South Africa that is not to be missed. Our lives will never be the same. Thank you for the positive change on my life and the lives of all who experienced Ihlombe 2011.” Craig Denison, Artistic Director – Florida’s Singing Sons Boychoir “Classical Movements proved to be the best decision we made for our [2008 Concert tour] to South Africa. Their staff was efficient, friendly and dependable. Our guide - incredible! This company provided a broad diversity of musical engagements that provided fine audiences, highprofile collaborations and attractive venues. With 25 years of touring, I have never experienced such a supportive and dependable company.” Eric Conway, Music Director – Morgan State University Choir “Thank you for inviting us to participate in this wonderful Ihlombe 2009 festival. Musically, we, the Morgan State University Choir had an opportunity to hear some very fine choirs from South Africa and the United States. Culturally, we visited places that will change our lives forever. Our visit to Soweto has shown us how very blessed we are to happen to live where we do and when we do! The South African people are so very warm and receptive, at times I did not even feel like a stranger in a foreign land. I personally know how much time and effort went into every detail of this trip. You have given the students in this choir memories that will last a lifetime.” Thomas Duffy, Professor of Music & Director of Bands – Yale University Concert Band “What a trip! Music, social work, scenery, pioneering performances in Swaziland, food, drink, and history! Johan [our guide] was terrific.” - South Africa and Swaziland Tour 2011 Chorister – Children’s Chorus of Washington “I felt less like a tourist because I got to interact (and sing) with all the wonderful, different people of South Africa. Thank you so much--this trip has truly changed my life. I know I will be back to South Africa soon, maybe attending the University of Cape Town!”
Press Coverage for Ihlombe Terri Dunbar-Curran, Writer Cape Times Newspaper (A South African Publication) "Singing is an integral part of our psyche and it's not uncommon to find small choirs scattered throughout communities. This phenomenon is one which prompted Neeta Helms, President of Classical Movements, to arrange a choral festival to celebrate that talent. One of the aims of the festival is to see choirs performing out of their usual areas, and that goes beyond merely just hosting international groups. Even local choirs will have the opportunity to branch out into new communities." Sibusiso Mkwanazi, Writer The Citizen: Weekend Vibe (A South African Publication) “Abundant Enthusiasm. That is the first thing you notice about Neeta Helms, President of Classical Movements… It {Ihlombe} showcases not only local talent but unique circumstances too, such as the All Saints Blind Choir from Ga-Rankuwa. They have also partnered with accomplished names in choral music, like George Kamxadana. Then there is the issue of the premiere taking place in Soweto. The township affords the Canadian and American choirs a chance to witness a part of our country that they would otherwise not have seen." Tonight Reporter The Star (A South African Publication) “Today marks the start of the second Ihlombe South African Choral Festival and Symposium. Visitors can expect 36 choirs, 11 concerts and several masterclasses, workshops and panel discussions… In keeping with one of the core beliefs of Classical Movements, and building on donations to the three benefactors of the last year, some of the profits from the concerts will be shared between South African groups that work to help under-privileged communities and youth programmes. Classical Movements, which specializes in travel arrangements for some of the world’s most famous orchestras, is also empowering local choirs by directly sharing the profits from ticket sales… Most of South Africa’s best choirs will be performing, including the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir.”
Now accepting applications
Contact Johan van Zyl Info@ClassicalMovements.com +1 703-683-6040
Classical Movements specializes in custom travel arrangements for many of the
world’s finest orchestras , including the National Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, London Philharmonic, and several other European and American Orchestras. Apart from orchestral tours, Classical Movements is a
leader in making concert and travel arrangements for professional level choirs like the Minnesota Chorale, Dallas Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Pacific Boychoir, VocalEssence,Young People’s Chorus of New York City, and many more! Classical Movements has made travel and concert tour arrangements for
musical groups to and from 145 countries on six continents since 1992 The company also produces four other annual international
choral festivals, including the Serenade! Washington, DC Choral Festival and Prague Summer Nights, a young artists summer academy for voice and orchestra musicians producing operas and concerts in Prague. In addition, Classical Movements has commissioned over 70
new works for several of our clients by composers from 25 different nationalities through its Eric Daniel Helms New Music Program.
Classical Movements, Inc. 711 Princess Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA +1 703-638-6040 | info@ClassicalMovements.com www.ClassicalMovements.com
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