Annual VC’s Concert hits the right note

The annual Vice-Chancellor’s Concert took place at the Baxter Theatre on Saturday, 20 October 2018, featuring a new production by the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) flagship African ensemble, UCT Ibuyambo.

Entitled Jalolo, the show celebrated Africa’s irrepressible and exuberant sense of joy.

The concert included Ghanaian traditional drum-dances, Congolese soukous, arrangements of Zimbabwean music, Mozambican Mapiko and Nyanga dances as well as traditional South African songs. The instrumental array included mbira’s; various African harps, lyres and drums; marimbas; isitolotolo; umrhube; horns; panpipes; reedpipes and the occasional guitar and bass guitar.

Jalolo featured a varied cast of guest artists, UCT alumni, postgraduates and undergraduates, as well as young members of the UCT African Music Outreach Programme.

Guest artists included Ga dance-drummer Kofi Lartey, Makonde Mapiko dancers Vintani Nafassi and Sumalgy Nuro, and Xhosa vocalist Nomapostile Nyiki.

Vice-Chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng was the guest of honour and keynote speaker for the evening.