We enjoy playing Africa music

West Coast Youth Orchestra consists of a diverse multi-cultural group of musicians. They represent different backgrounds, ages, genders and cultural groups. It is important to WCYO to include all genres of music in our repertoires. We enjoy playing Africa music and frequently include it in our orchestras’ and ensembles’ repertoires. WCMA has a wonderful collection of percussion instruments which are regularly used to enhance any African music performance, such as the upcoming Koelkamers concerts in Paternoster in September 2021. Our percussion ensemble also put them to good use in the 2021 Eisteddfods.

Tristan and Jomandie Dempers gifted a set of custom made super-Tumba drums to WCYO in 2020

Percussion ensemble – July 2021

The Parklands College Festival of Music

The Parklands College Festival of Music took place in March 2020 at Parklands College. WCYO was privileged and honoured to be a part of this incredible event. The orchestra was part of a mass orchestra and the well-known conductor of CPYO, Brandon Phillips, put everyone through their paces. Zolani Mahola performed with the mass orchestra.

Suidoosterfees

De Novo Boeke photo

Suidoosterfees 2019

In 2019, WCYO performed at the Suidoosterfees in Cape Town and at the V&A Waterfront. Their Notes on Africa repertoire included:

1. The World in Union
2. South African Anthem
3. Jive Marabi (The Big Bag Boys 1920)
4. Mbube (Solomon Linda & The Evening)
5. Kwela-Kwela (Soweto String Quartet)
6. Pata-Pata / Meadowlands (Miriam Makeba)
7. Robbie Bob (R. Jansen) Cape Town Jazz
8. Wesley Street & Pedal Pusher (Dryer & Goldberg)
9. Scaterlings of Africa
10. Unomathemba (Ladysmith Black Mambaso)
11. Brenda Fassi Medley (Vulindlela & Weekend Special)
12. The Lion Sleeps Tonight (S. Linda)
13. Mama Tehmbu, Ipi Ntombi, Shosholosa Medley
14. Swingin’ Safari (B. Kaemfert)
15. Jikela Emaweni (Soweto Gospel Choir)
16. Masekela: Grazing in the Grass & Coal Train
17. Mannenburg: Abdullah Ibrahim
18. Ntyilo Ntyilo
19. This Time for Africa / Waka Waka (Shakira)

Kittsee Castle performance, Austria

WCYO in Austria

Kittsee Castle performance, Austria

WCYO competed as a youth orchestra in the International European Youth Music Festival on 06-09 July 2017. They performed unique and specially composed music pieces, that combined traditional African instruments like marimbas & djembes, to produce true South African masterpieces.