Concert of Polyphonia Orchestra from Reunion Island, Abavuki and Afro Toprica Steel band
at Saint Francis Centre
Ndabeni Street, Langa
14h /Free entrance
This multi-ethnic musical group’s home is the French island of La Réunion in the Indian Ocean and its membership represent a great variety of cultures in the French overseas territories. The aim of their tour is to meet and exchange with South Africans through the medium of music and to convey a message of peace to all multi racial countries.
POLYPHONIA has 48 young musicians, ranging in age from 11 to 25, under the direction of Pierre Varo, principal of Saint Andre School of Music and Dance in Reunion Island. The orchestra features accordions, accompanied by violins, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, keyboard and vocals. Its extensive repertoire includes classical music and jazz, film scores, and folk music from La Réunion.
Founded in 1986, POLYPHONIA has made numerous world tours and deservedly won competitions in France, New Zealand and Australia. In both 1991 and 1993 the orchestra participated in the famous international musical Eistedfood in Roodepoort, Johannesburg. POLYPHONIA won the highest award of the competition in 1993, a first for a multi-racial orchestra at that time.
The 2009 POLYPHONIA tour has been fully subsidised by the General Council of La Réunion. The Alliance Française is in charge of finding some venues for POLYPHONIA concerts in Cape Town. The Alliance Française only wishes a warm welcoming of the orchestra by this country.
Abavuki :
Afro Tropica Steel Band :
AfroTropica is the professional performing steelband attached to the Steelband Project (Western Cape). The band, most of whom are from Langa township, Cape Town, was founded in 2002 by David Wickham and Kenny Gibe and at full strength is a 9 piece band, but can scale down to suit the venue and occasion as required. The instruments used are Trinidadian steelpans, augmented with drumkit and percussion.
Always colourfully costumed, the band performs a vibrant, yet sophisticated mix of African, latin/calypso and jazz tunes, ideal for dancing or as background music.
AfroTropica has done residencies at Ratanga Junction, The Table Bay Hotel and Moyo at Spier Wine Estate. The band has also played for the Opening of Parliament, UN delegations and for ex-President Mbeki and Joseph Kabila (DRC President), as well as many corporate and private functions and product launches. It goes without saying that the band is also ideally suited for caribbean and carnival theme parties.
