Platform to connect music communities

Johannesburg - Stimorol has released of a campaign which seeks to bridge the gap between music lovers and makers, called Stimorol FlowLab.

The campaign’s digital platform and workshops will allow aspiring musicians to connect with peers and hone their craft with the help of professionals such as Aubrey Qwana and Musa Keys.

Black Mambazo celebrates Madiba

Legendary Ladysmith Black

Mambazo will be performing in honour of late former president Nelson Mandela at the Joburg Theatre on July 17 in Braamfontein.

Mambazo will celebrate the life and times of a world-renowned political icon and leader with a live concert featuring their classic hit songs and new music.

The son of the late Joseph Shabalala who founded the group in 1964, Sibongiseni Shabalala says: “The late President Nelson Mandela was a big supporter of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. He said that when he was on Robben Island, Ladysmith Black Mambazo was consoling them and giving them hope that one day South Africa will be free.”

He adds that Madiba also invited Ladysmith Black Mambazo to travel with him to Oslo when he was honoured with a Nobel peace prize. After that event Joseph Shabalala and Ladysmith Black Mambazo wrote a song in honour of Madiba being a recipient of a Nobel peace prize and being an international symbol of peace and unity. The song titled Long walk to freedom was a tribute to Mandela for being the first democratically elected president in South Africa.

“This show will also pay tribute to our late father, the founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo Professor Joseph Shabalala, who also believed in peace and love,” Shabalala says.

Albert Mazibuko, who has been with the isicathamiya group since it started says: “The concert also will also celebrate the 62-year legacy of Ladysmith Black Mambazo being in the music industry. The Celebrate Nelson Mandela concert is a celebration of what Mandela stood for, and so it is aimed at spreading the message of love and peace throughout the world. The event is aimed at also encouraging people not to resort to violence in times of disagreement, but rather use peaceful means. This will be an annual event that will travel to different countries, preaching the message of peace through the songs of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.”

This show is a rare moment for fans to interact with the legends and experience a live performance by this internationally renowned group who spend most of their time touring the globe.

Their message of peace and love through music will spread overseas in October when they land in the UK for a tour. The group, through its Ladysmith Black Mambazo Mobile Academy programme, has selected two groups who will be travelling with them. This mobile academy is a developmental project aimed at discovering, developing and exposing the music talent of artists doing acapella and indigenous music while preserving the culture and heritage of Isicathamiya/acapella music by creating a platform for sustainable jobs for upcoming artists. The talent search has been done in all nine provinces and nine groups representing each province have been selected, mentored and allowed to record.

One of the groups from KwaZulu-Natal, the Africa Mamas, also travelled to Germany in November 2019 through the support of Ladysmith Black Mambazo Mobile Academy.

The concert will later be broadcast on BET Africa, a media partner on this show. The concert is supported by the National Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, Joburg Theatre and BET.

For more visit www.joburgtheatre.com.

Artists in residence programme kicks off

Sneziwe Dube

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Artists in Residence programme has kicked off with its first cohort of nine artists in residence.

Designed to stimulate arts practice as research, the programme hosts several artists working in fine and visual arts, including Kagiso Kekana, Sonya Rademeyer, Juan Orrantia, Brenton Maart and Egyptian artist Mai Al Shazly. Lindiwe Matshikiza and Yazeed Kamaldien have been selected for the film and television category, and Jamil Khan and Mbuso Ndlovu have been selected to pursue projects in the literary arts and music disciplines.

These 12-month residencies include presentation of innovative creative projects including bio-art, photo and other exhibitions and installations, film documentaries, a fiction novel and choral music compositions.

Head of arts & culture Pieter Jacobs says:

“The overwhelming response to the call for participation in the programme is testament to the creative sector’s capacity and desire to deepen and advance understanding of the complexity of the work artists create.”

The programme makes residencies available in visual and fine arts, music, theatre, performance and dance, design, film and television, and literary arts. It is open for applications from new, emerging, and established artists from across the globe, but preferably with a connection to Africa. Artists are eligible to apply for physical and/or remote residencies at the institution and depending on the nature of the proposed residency; successful artists may work partly or completely remotely.

Another round of applications for residencies starting in January 2023 closes on 31 July.

For more visit https://arts.uj.ac.za.

Stimorol brand manager Khanyisa Ntshuntshe said this is about inspiring fresh perspectives and empowering individuals.

“With our belief that the world is a better place when everyone lives and does things in their own unique way, what better way to live up to this than to create a platform that peels away the barrier of gate-keepers and gives everyone an equal opportunity,” Ntshuntshe said.

Stimorol is making a commitment to pay for and prioritises the use of visual and audio outputs from participants instead of just using stock and library music for its brand assets. Housed on a microsite that will mobilize social mission and drive volume, this campaign will involve the likes of Musa Keys, Major Steez, Dee Koala and Aubrey Qwana.

Keys said: “I am happy to be part of a movement to support the youth grow their music careers. I’m passionate about sharing the knowledge I have with young and talented artists. We grow by helping the next star.”

Stimorol FlowLab will host workshops and studio sessions where participants can collaborate with influential local music makers who sign up through the microsite.

Stimorol will also set up live events that are attended by music lovers and allow music makers to showcase their talent.