Young musicians from across the region will take to the stage this weekend to show off their musicial prowess as part of the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (ECPYO) Youth Orchestral Experience.
This comes as the talented group have been participating in an intensive five-day orchestral programme aimed at exposing them to professional music standards and developing their skills.
The programme, which has been running from Tuesday, has brought young musicians together for sectional rehearsals, specialist tuition and full orchestral rehearsals.
The programme gives participants an opportunity to work with professional orchestral musicians and specialist tutors while learning how to collaborate, respond to a conductor and perform as part of a full orchestra.
Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (ECPO) chairperson Etienne Mecloen said investing in young musicians was vital.
“As the ECPO, we believe that investing in young musicians is an investment in the future of music in the Eastern Cape and in South Africa.
"Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not always equally accessible.
"Our responsibility is to create those opportunities, to bring young musicians together, expose them to professional musicians and give them an environment in which they can grow,” Mecloen said.
Participants are working with musicians and specialist tutors from ECPO, the KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga national philharmonic orchestras, Nelson Mandela University, and the Hugo Lambrechts and Beau Soleil music centres.
The youth orchestra will perform works by Karl Jenkins and Jean Sibelius, alongside music by Coldplay, iconic film themes and more.
The orchestra is being conducted by SA's Eddie Clayton, a musical director, conductor, arranger, and composer who has worked across orchestral, educational and musical-theatre environments, including with youth orchestras.
“My main role is to keep the orchestra together, to educate them on the music and to allow them to learn the difference between performing alone and performing with a team," Clayton said.
"I always refer to an orchestra as the ultimate team sport.
"I’ve had the pleasure of working with both professional players and young players, and the standard that these young players have is close to perfect. They bring an incredible energy.
"I don’t want the audience to just listen to the music. I want them to experience it.
"I want it to hit them in the heart."
The initiative has also focused on life skills, confidence, leadership and possible careers within the music industry.
For Mecloen, the experience is about more than the final concert.
“The ECPYO is not about producing one concert. The concert is the culmination of the experience.
"What matters to us is what happens during those five days: the learning, the friendships, the discipline, the confidence and the realisation that a future in music is possible.
"We want our young musicians to leave the course better musicians, but also better collaborators, leaders and young professionals.
"Some may go on to become orchestral musicians, conductors, educators or composers; others may find their place elsewhere in the creative industries.
"Our role is to help open those doors."
The concert, on October 3, will be held at the NMU South Campus Auditorium in Gqeberha, at 4pm.
