Walmer will be alive in song on Saturday afternoon, August 25, when 60 musicians gather for the Bulelani Lamani Choral and Opera Concert in Gqebera.
The concert will be held at the Multi-Purpose Hall opposite Walmer High School from 1 to 4pm.
The performers, consisting of a band, pianists, and singers from different Bay townships, as well as from Uitenhage and Dispatch, will showcase Lamani’s (pictured) compositions.
“This initiative is set to take the art form to where it belongs by developing upcoming musicians and radically decrease poverty,” said the composer, adjudicator and conductor.
“Our communities are faced with serious challenges such as scarcity of live concerts, drug abuse, alcohol, HIV, unemployment. By this initiative we giving musicians the platform to perform and create job opportunities.
“In the near future we would like to partner with the Opera House in the call of reviving opera and choral music in the Eastern Cape.
“When it is emphasised that the Eastern Cape is the home of legends, it is also appropriate to highlight that the province is a choral hub. The province has produced a fair share of choral practitioners who are practising nationwide.”
Lamani will conduct the BL Music Choir accompanied by young pianists Asekho Zani, who was trained by Royal Opera House pianists, Unathi Nzewu and a four-piece band for choruses.
The BL Music choir consists of high school pupils, NMU music students and community members.
The programme will include hymns, opera, choral with piano, and music choruses with band.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is the major sponsor of this choral and opera project, which is also supported by the NMU Music School.
Tickets range from R70 to R180. More information from Lamani, 072-151-5154.