Sound of music to fill Feather Market Centre

SCORES of promising young musicians from across the metro – and beyond – will perform in the annual Youth Orchestral Experience Festival at the Feather Market Centre in Port Elizabeth this weekend. The concert, at 3pm on Sunday, will involve a group of about 175 instrument players, who were selected for participation during auditions held earlier in the year.

They all took part in vigorous and fun musical workshops at Grey Junior School this week.

"They have all auditioned for their place in either the Youth Orchestra or Wind Band," manager of the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (ECPO) Gill Barnett, who is part of the organising team, said.

Now in its 12th year, the annual project is aimed at introducing young musicians to all facets of orchestral playing. "While some of them already have experience performing in school bands or orchestras, many attend schools where this is not an option," Barnett said.

She added that the Orchestral Experience offered pupils an opportunity to develop their musical skills while being guided by experienced facilitators.

Barnett said in the 12 years that the project has been running, this year's was the biggest, with some eager young people even coming from as far as Grahamstown to participate in the workshops.

Conductor and head of the music department at Grey schools, Shawn Lyon, said the concert would be a balanced programme with different points of musical interest. "There is a lot of spirit and potential to learn and perform at a higher level among the students," Lyon said.

Visiting conductor from Vienna, David Scarr, said: "One of the nice things about working with younger musicians is they are always keen to learn and there is quite a lot to teach them."

Simphiwe Funde, 22, of Motherwell, who was also selected in the previous years' auditions, said being chosen again this year was "wonderful".

"Not only can I play, but I can actually read music now... I'm particularly looking forward to seeing how the audience will receive our sound," the cello player said. Tickets, at R30 for adults and R20 for students, are available at the Feather Market Centre's box office. - Balisa Ntloko