New Brighton talent on tour
Voices of Africa singers and dancers to showcase their work in Europe
ANEW Brighton music and dance group made their way to Europe yesterday to showcase their African talent in a twoweek tour around the continent. Voices of Africa boarded an 8.25am flight at the Port Elizabeth International Airport and were due to arrive in Geneva today to give them enough time to prepare for their first performance at the Renens Private Concert tomorrow.
The group of four men and two women founded by member and manager Nomandla Hallam, 33, in 2009, specialises in South African gospel and a cappella hymns, and traditional music and dance.
“My passion for music and the will to help talented and disadvantaged individuals to make a living through their God-given talent motivated me to start the group,” Hallam, who has been singing since the age of four, said.
Hallam formed the group while she lived in New Brighton, before her recent relocation to Gauteng, and she recruited members from Zwide, Izinyoka and Uitenhage.
Resistance Maziwisa, Siphesihle Makinana, Siyabonga Zethu, Sonwabo Ndawuni, Ntlahla Nyiki and Hallam, all vocalists and dancers between 24 and 35, use African Djembe and Djun Djun, drums of West African origin, to blend with their vocals.
During their tour, they will perform at private shows and workshops in Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Neuchatel and Litchtensteig.
“There are no events on the musical calendar during this tour,” Hallam said.
“All the concerts are private shows and workshops organised by our agency and other interested stakeholders.”
The group regularly tours the world and has performed at school shows and festivals in Belgium and Uzbekistan, with Switzerland being their most regularly visited country between 2012 and last year.
“One of our highlights was in 2013 when we performed alongside the legendary Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango in Geneva at the Tambour Battant Festival,” Hallam said.
In 2015, the group was invited to participate in the Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival in Uzbekistan, where they walked away with a special prize from the jury at the awards ceremony.
Voices of Africa are due to arrive back in Port Elizabeth on December 11.