The inaugural iZipho Choral Experience is set to take centre stage this Saturday at the NG Kerk in Summerstrand, bringing its theme, “when youth sing, communities heal”, to life through a powerful showcase of young vocal talent.
Gqeberha, long regarded as a hub for some of the country’s most iconic choral music, will be treated to a rich blend of harmonies performed by Inpraise Ensemble, The Image Vocal Group, Redemption Sound and Pious Melodies.
The production, set to start at 6pm, features 50 musicians between the ages of 12 and 25.
Tickets are available online via Webtickets for R120 or R150 at the door.
The founder of the iZipho Choral Experience, Zihle Ndika, said the initiative, which she launched in January, was born out of both passion and purpose.
If we look around in the townships, we have children who are singing in groups, as they walk to church or school and on the stands at derby days. Their rhythm comes naturally.
— Zihle Ndika, iZipho Choral Experience founder
“These are children who came together in their various corners. There are other children who have been messaging us on TikTok, asking to be part of the initiative,” she said.
“The audience can expect to hear [Western classical music], very complex harmonies, and dissonant harmonies which are not always easy for children to perform.
“They can also expect to hear African spiritual music.
“However, in line with our theme that says ‘when youth sing, communities heal’, as vibey as it will be, there will also be a religious undertone.
“As much as we are talking about music bringing children together, we are also looking at their characters.”
Ndika, a seasoned choral musician who has performed with the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and the SA National Youth Orchestra, said the idea for the showcase stemmed from recognising a gap in access to the arts for young people in her community.
“I have always known that children have a hunger for the arts. But I did not have a ready pool of instrumentalists,” she said.
“If we look around in the townships, we have children who are singing in groups as they walk to church or school, and on the stands at derby days.
“Their rhythm comes naturally.
“My home is in KwaDwesi, so I get to hear these kids always singing.
“When children have a natural ability to sing, the tendency is that they will sing wherever they are.
“However, they do not always have specific places to come together to sing, and so that is how the whole idea came about,” Ndika said.
She said that though the talent existed, many youngsters lacked mentorship and structured opportunities to develop their skills.
Through formally establishing the choir, Ndika aims to equip participants with skills that extend beyond music, while also connecting them to broader networks within the industry.
“The challenge we have is that the kids we are working with do not have basic musical knowledge.
“We cannot give them music sheets to take to their teachers, so the responsibility to teach them the approach and technique still lies with us.
“You will find that children are willing to participate in certain things, but barriers like getting to rehearsals, food for those long workshops, or even money for transport exist,” she said.
Instead of asking the participants to come to them, the facilitators went into the communities such as Seyisi, KwaDwesi and KwaNobuhle over a 12-week period to rehearse in groups.
“It was a risk because we were dealing with raw voices,” she said.
“We had to make sure we took the time to really work with the kids, teaching them how to read [music] and to give them vocal training.
“We met for three days during the holidays, and we could see the improvement.
“The funny thing is we started advertising [for the show] before we even knew how the finished product would turn out.
“So we are chuffed with what they have achieved.
“We have been circulating their videos on social media, and it has been nice for people to see what I see in these kids,” Ndika said.
Despite having no formal funding, Ndika said the project was sustained through community support and a belief in the vision.
She expressed gratitude to their sponsors and supporters, including Blue Ribbon for donating bread, as well as the parents who assisted with transport.
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