Music

MBABANE – Pretoria is set to host an extraordinary celebration of music and culture as the Africa Youth Orchestra Festival (AYOF) arrives at the University of Pretoria’s Aula Hall tomorrow.

This first segment of the third edition of AYOF will feature an international concert that brings together talented young musicians from across Eswatini, South Africa, South Korea and beyond.

Audiences can look forward to captivating performances by international professors from South Korea, the USA and South Africa alongside the Mbabane Chamber Orchestra, the Johannesburg Korean Youth Ensemble and the Morris Isaacson School of Music.

The programme will also include the vibrant voices of Vulamasango High School, this year’s Champions of Champions. Additionally, brilliant soloists from Eswatini will take centre stage.

Adding to the excitement, the festival will present stirring excerpts from beloved musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, The Lion King and Mamma Mia.

With its blend of classical mastery and popular theatre hits, the AYOF promises an unforgettable evening for families, music enthusiasts and cultural aficionados alike.

The festival’s core mission is to serve as a symbol of cultural harmony by uniting the global community, spreading hope and celebrating artistic excellence through the transformative power of music.

The second segment of AYOF, organised by the Africa Ntjilo Institute of Empowerment Music and Art, will take place over three days in Eswatini from Thursday October 9 to Saturday October 11 at The Luke Commission in Sidvokodvo.

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Some of the members of The Mbabane Chamber Orchestra group during their rehearsals. (Pic: Courtesy)

Rehearsals for the AYOF Vision Concert were held for the whole week at Eswatini Medical Christian University where the Mbabane Chamber Orchestra led by Hee Jung Kim is located.