A visual diary of the orchestra

Making Music Together, an an exhibition of 30 black and white prints journaling the extensive community, education and outreach of the busy KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, will be on display at the Durban Art Gallery (DAG) from March 17 until April 30. (DAG is on the second floor of the magnificent Durban City Hall building; enter opposite the Playhouse).

“So often one associates the orchestra with performing sublime concerts in our magnificent Durban City Hall during our Symphony Seasons, not realising that although the Symphony Seasons are our flagship programme, they represent a fraction of the overall activities of the orchestra.

“Most of the orchestra’s time is spent presenting performances, workshops, master-classes and mentoring programmes which take place in community venues, school halls, rehearsal rooms, old age homes and informal spaces across the length and breadth of the KZN province,” said Bongani Tembe Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the KZN Philharmonic.

Working closely with the Durban Art Gallery, an exhibition has been created to give gallery-visitors special insight into some of these activities.

The Print Room in the gallery has been transformed into a mock orchestra rehearsal room, with 30 carefully chosen black and white prints displayed on music stands.

The photos have all been taken over roughly a two month period during December last year and February this year, by photographers Val Adamson; Gcina Ndwalane and Rogan Ward to create a storyboard which begins to capture some of the special moments, connections and nuances of these community engagement programmes.

The exhibition is curated by Illa Thompson, designed by Peter Court and photographic consultant is Val Adamson.

Dedicated to promoting orchestral music in South Africa, the KZN Philharmonic has an active relationship working with choirs and supporting new music initiatives: recently, the orchestra performed for three separate world-premiers of bold new works.

The orchestra also performs in old age homes, prisons and various institutions as part of their Symphony of Hope campaign to stage free concerts to the city’s marginalised.

Every year the orchestra performs to schools throughout the province – playing in the cities, the suburbs, the rural communities and the townships, touching the lives of more than 30,000 scholars in a specially-devised music introduction programme.

In keeping with their transference of skills initiative, Summer Season visiting conductors and soloists conducted master-classes for up-and-coming stars, enabling them to learn from some of the world’s best. Of special mention was a morning conducting master-class during which four conductors with backgrounds in the choral music tradition had the opportunity to conduct the KZN Philharmonic under the watchful eye of internationally acclaimed conductor, Wolfram Christ.

The KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra is nearing the end of its six week Summer Symphony Season performing an extraordinary programme of beautiful orchestral music showcasing some of the finest musical talents from South Africa and the world.

The exhibition is particularly useful for school groups. An option could be for schools to visit the exhibition on a Thursday morning and then attend the morning “Tea and Symphony” final rehearsal at 10am in the City Hall/Playhouse. Scholar tickets are R10.

For more information about the KZPO, visit kznphil.org.za, or contact 031 369 9438 or email bookings@kznphil.org.za.

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