Voices unite around girls’ dignity
“Your donations are giving young girls dignity: there is now something they no longer need to be ashamed of.”
Rector of the College of the Transfiguration Vicentia Kgabe had words of gratitude for 20 extraordinary singers who performed in the Cathedral of St Michael and St George last Friday evening, as well as their audience who had arrived with the unusual entrance charge of packages of sanitary towels and pairs of school shoes.
An initiative showcasing some of Grahamstown’s best vocal talent, the Schools Intervention Charity Musical Concert was organised and led by Victoria Girls’ High School teacher and choir conductor Sibu Mkhize, and Student Support Officer at Eastcape Midlands College Lithemba Busakwe. They themselves performed several items in a programme that spanned centuries and styles from 18th century Handel to Bob Dylan’s Make you feel my love, more recently a hit by Adele.
Drawing a spontaneous standing ovation with her performances of traditional folk song Danny Boy, and Dvorak’s Song to the moon was VGHS pupil Liyema Ralo.
Siseko Mtati representing Ntsika was another standout performance, with his finely nuanced Amor ti vieta from the opera Fedora by late 19th century composer Umberto Giordano.
Many of the performers wore their school uniforms, although most were former rather than current pupils of various Grahamstown schools.
Khumbulani Ntabeni’s performance of Panis Angelicus, and Mkhize and Busakwe’s duet Somewhere from West Side Story, were a reminder of the intensity that technical control and sheer musicality can produce.
All sang with an assurance that was rooted, it seemed, by accomplished performances by Mkhize and Busakwe interspersed throughout a concert that never had one wondering how long 28 items would take - but rather wishing there were at least another 28.
Instrumentalists were Lonwabo Mafani (keyboard), Leroy Matepo (drums) and Elijah Madiba (bass), along with
Jillian Frazer (piano). Andrew-John Bethke was the organist in several items sung from the chancel, as well as playing an organ solo.
Homegrown comedy talent Tsepiso Nzayo threaded the event through with anecdotes and quips and by the end of the evening had the audience smiling or laughing, just by standing at the podium and before saying a word.
Dean Andrew Hunter welcomed audience and performers and Kgabe closed the event with a Benediction.
A large pile of school shoes and packs of sanitary towels remained in the apse after the performance.
Around 3.5 million South African schoolgirls at menstruating age deal with their periods using materials found around them, such as rolled up cloth, or newspaper. While the figures are not definitive, some estimates hold that some of these girls could miss several days a month of school, staying at home to avoid embarrassment.
Charity begins at home. The spirit of giving and the practice of excellence are alive and well in Grahamstown.
Additional source: https://africacheck.org/ reports/do-7-million-sa-girlsmiss-school-every-month-dueto-lack-of-sanitary-pads/
NOW WATCH THE VIDEO:
bit.ly/GrocCon
To show your appreciation for the music you’ve heard, would you consider donating packs of sanitary pads, and pairs of school shoes in various sizes for the School Intervention team to hand out 13-17 March?
You can drop them off at reception at Victoria Girls’ High School (for attention Sibusiso Mkhize) or at reception at Eastcape Midlands College (attention Lithemba Busakwe).