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.
WCYO Percussion Ensemble Mykonos on 25 September 2022
The WCYO Percussion Ensemble was invited to perform at the 2022 Optimist African Championships Opening at Mykonos on 25 September. They entertained the crowd and regatta participants during the parade with various numbers, including The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Africa (Toto) and a lively Djembe number, which lent an authentic South African flavour to the event.
Mrs Marna Smit leads this ensemble. She is a WCMA tutor and is also responsible for the percussion arrangements for the WCYO orchestra. This group is worth watching as we are convinced, they will constantly surprise us and achieve much more in the future.
Percussion ensemble – July 2021
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
Suidoosterfees 2019
In 2019, WCYO performed at the Suidoosterfees in Cape Town and at the V&A Waterfront. Their Notes on Africa repertoire included:
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)
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
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.
