An overture to unity

After two years of quiet, the University of Pretoria campus resounded to the sounds of peace.

The much-anticipated annual Principal’s Concert was held on the Aula lawn at the Hatfield Campus under the theme Ukuthula: Celebration of Peace; a symbol of unity in the university community's collective efforts to make the world a better place for all.

Over 900 guests enjoyed an offering of various genres of music by the UP Symphony Orchestra, UP Aula Cultural Ensemble, Onderstepoort Community Choir, UP Chorale, and the UP Camerata.

The concert has not been hosted in person since 2020 due to national lockdowns and social distancing restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past, this annual event included a few guests in an intimate setting. This year, however, the concert showcased musicians in an openair setting.

“Poet Maya Angelou poignantly wrote that ’Nobody can make it out here alone’, a powerful reminder of our fragility as a species, and our dependence on each other,” UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe said.

“Since life has its ebbs and flows and it is really difficult to make it alone, we are using this event as a fundraiser to help provide access to those students who cannot afford to study here. The university is open to all academically deserving students, who receive a world-class education, then go out and find jobs so that they can contribute to the economy and make a difference to society,” he explained.

In addition to the music, the guests were enthralled by colourful light displays on stage and light projections onto the surrounding buildings and trees. "This helped to immerse the audience in the journey the music took them on," explained Johnnie Heinemann, Multi-Media Event Trading’s Managing Director.

Dr Faith Mathibedi, an Educational Consultant from UP’s Department of Education Innovation, commented:

“I always try to attend the Principal’s Concert and missed it when it could not be held due to the pandemic. When I saw the invitation, I was very excited and could not wait for the day to arrive.

“The set-up was incredible, from the ticket collection and welcoming drinks to the comfortable café chairs. I also enjoyed the music, choice of songs, the orchestra, the Mass Choir … half the time had goosebumps! wish there was a recording in the form of a CD to buy,” she said.

Prof Kupe extended his appreciation to all members of the UP community who donated in the Giving Day campaign and made an appeal to the audience to donate and create a culture of philanthropy and to support students in need.

“Many students and families have been adversely affected by the pandemic. Coupled with this, government subsidies to universities have been on the decline for several years. Again, we cannot go it alone. We need partners to help us raise funds to sustain the high standards our UP community is accustomed to.

"Therefore, we are here to see how our collective efforts can help to alleviate the funding challenges and to raise the muchneeded funds to provide our students with the quality education we are known for. We also need to support the projects that make us one of the leading tertiary institutions in the world,” Prof Kupe said.

By Paseka Gaola