Hipp Media Group (Pty) Ltd in partnership with the National Arts Council presents the inaugural South African Saxophone Symposium on Sunday the 29th & 30th of May 2021 at the Gauteng Academy of Music. Curated by Gauteng Academy alma-mater saxophonist Mthunzi Mvubu. The symposium is an inclusive and cohesive gathering of renowned and upcoming saxophonists who represent a multitude of locales in the South African music and creative scenes. The festival is a means and a good starting point to index the timeline of the instrument in the South African music story and in so doing locate an archival thread to celebrate annually.
In a need to decentralize events from the Johannesburg locale this gathering is hosted at Mthunzi Mvubu’s alma mater the Music Academy of Gauteng in Putfontein in the East Rand. The centres founder Dr Johnny Mekoa was instrumental in the foundation of Mthunzi Mvubu’s career instilling in him a firm held belief that instrument playing and music were not simply for the elite. Dr Johnny Mekoa’s centre has taken in a lot of children from impoverished backgrounds and made music a refuge, vocation and careers for many. In the same consciousness the South African Saxophone Symposium is the refuge to all saxophonists, it is for those who play by ear to the master academics or bandstand leader.
The two day hybrid event will be presented in four formats; The first being a self-recorded perspective videos presented by five saxophonists( Tshepo Tsotsetsi, Linda Tshabalala, Nthabiseng Jazz Mokoena and Simon Manana) from beginners to novices giving their perspectives on the instrument.
Second format is documentary style interview presented by Mthunzi Mvubu with the living masters of the story of the instrument in South Africa in Barney Rachabane, Khaya Mahlangu, McCoy Mrubata and Steve Dyer.
Third format is panel discussion moderated by Percy Mabandu which features international luminaries Salim Washington, Khaya Mahlangu, Linda Sikhakhane and renowned jazz journalist Gwen Ansell.
The final
Join us in celebrating this major instrument, the saxophone in what is the success of one of the global giants of jazz. Come enjoy an insightful afternoon focussed on instrumentation and the life that is the saxophone. Entrance is R30 for students and pensioners and R50 for all others.
Day 2 Details
11am Panel Discussion to be broadcasted on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube 2pm Concert Performance.
Venue Music Academy of Gauteng
Tickets on https://tickety.co.za/events ( There are group discounts)