The Miagi Freedom Concert in Joburg’s Linder Auditorium on Saturday, at 7pm, is the first in a long line of Miagi celebration events of which the 20 Years of Freedom 1994 – 2014 Celebration Tour of Europe (June 22 to July 18) is the most prominent.
During the tour the Miagi Youth Orchestra and New Skool Orchestra will be performing at some of the most important music centres in the world, such as Philharmonie Berlin; Young Euro Classic Festival; Rikssalen, Stockholm Castle; Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival and Concertgebouw Amsterdam.
Tickets for the local concert are R100 and R60 (pensioners and students) and are available at Computicket and at the door one hour before the event. In Europe some of the Miagi Freedom Concerts are almost sold out thanks to the Miagi Youth Orchestra’s successes in 2009 and 2012 when the orchestra, comprising more than 100 young musicians, took audiences and critics by storm in Konzerthaus, Berlin.
The concert on Saturday will be conducted by two young South African artists, Tshepo Tsotetsi and Brandon Phillips. Two complementary works will open the evening: Shostakovich’s ingenious Suite for Variety Stage Orchestra (also called Jazz Suite #2), followed by the Miagi-commissioned composition Celebration Suite by Anders Paulsson.
Paulsson is regarded one of the most eminent soprano saxophonists in the world and Celebration Suite features him as soloist.
After the interval, an abundance of South African jazz, township groove, New Skool specials and mainstream golden oldies will be performed. Composers include South Africans Gideon Nxumalo, Zakes Nkosi, Paul Hanmer, Steve Dyer and Tshepo Tsotetsi.
Miagi is funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.