Auditions open for SANYO

IT IS time for the South African National Youth Orchestra (SANYO) to decide who will get to wear the prestigious green and gold colours and present our country’s finest musical talent on the world’s stage.

SANYO will be holding auditions for musicians 25-years-old and younger. They will participate in a series of courses and programmes over the next year for musicians to help them acquire the skills they need to perform in a professional musical environment.

Being part of the National Youth Orchestra is no small feat. The orchestra has some of the best young talent in the country. The group have performed with the likes of jazz musician Judith Sephuma and singer Barbara Hendricks.

The year has major events in store for those who qualify to play in the orchestra.

In May, a select few will play in Umculo’s production of Bach’s St John Passion in Johannesburg, and three of them will be chosen to go to Amsterdam to take part in an exchange programme with the critically acclaimed Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

In August, they will receive a masterclass from Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra – the first major American orchestra to tour South Africa. The youngsters will play alongside them as they tour the country.

Their conductor, Osmo Vänskä will be returning to South Africa for the first time since conducting the National Youth Orchestra’s 50th anniversary concerts in 2014.

“The National Youth Orchestra is important because it opens up another world of music to the youth. It allows them to become makers of the music not just listeners,” said National Youth Orchestra patron, Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu. “Youth in South Africa have so many opportunities available to them and my hope is that they are able to engage themselves fully in these opportunities.”

Tutu once remarked of the young. “Music is important in the lives of young people, it is rare not to see a young person engrossed in music.”

Musicians can apply to become part of the National Youth Orchestra and take part in their courses. See www.sanyo.org.za to apply.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu with the SA Youth Orchestra in 2016.