 |
|
I've got rhythm: Soweto Marimba Youth League members will play traditional instruments this week in Ha Noi and in Thai Nguyen Province. — File Photo |
HA NOI — The Soweto Marimba Youth League (SMYLe), a community-based youth development programme in South Africa, will perform in Viet Nam this week.
An eleven-member group will play a core set of marimbas, steel drums and djembes drums and perform traditional African folklore dances. The performances will take place at Cong Nhan (Workers) Theatre in Ha Noi on Wednesday at 8pm and at the Viet Bac Culture and Arts College on Thursday in the northern province of Thai Nguyen at 7.30pm.
SMYLe is a musical outreach programme that offers under-privileged children living in Soweto City an opportunity to overcome adversity and work towards a common goal. The project began in areas where schools were either ill-equipped or technically unable to offer musical study. In addition, the hope has always been that the SMYLe project would discourage the youth of Dobsonville from engaging in drugs, crime and teenage pregnancy and act as a reminder that "Education is the Only Solution". The SMYLe project is one of only a few music programmes for students in Dobsonville, South Africa.
SMYLe now also works to provide opportunities for other talented youth to demonstrate their musical talent that comes from a deeply rooted musical tradition in Soweto City.
In total, the SMYLe band is comprised of more than 30 seasoned performers. The group produced their first recording, Hands of Hope, in May 2010. The CD is a compilation of 13 of the band's favourite songs, including the national anthem of South Africa, Nkosi Sikilele iAfrica.
Entrance to the concerts in Viet Nam is by invitation only. — VNS