Gorgeous sounds of viola and violins complemented by  cellos  brought life to the old Mofolo Art Centre in Soweto during the Thuthukani Orchestra Hope and Restoration Concert that took place on Sunday afternoon.

They are the kinds of sounds that you get to hear in places like the Linder Auditorium and Wits Great Hall. 

Young and old came to enjoy the beautiful sounds of classical music at an affordable charge.  

As soon as the orchestra, led by conductor Bafana Mthembu, took to the stage, it entertained music lovers with pieces like Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto Allegro, Adagio Clarinet Concerto, Jesus Joy, Barbarella, Cavaleria, and closed the show with Mahlathini and Mahotella Queens song Melodi.

The audience applauded after every piece was performed.

Thuthukani Conservatoire’s Classical School, which operates as a non-profit organisation, has been training young and old in classical music for 30 years. It operates from the Mofolo Art Centre.

According to performer, founder and teacher Lindi Makubalo, through classical music lessons they manage to keep youth away from wrongdoings and focus on studies and music.

Makubalo said the classical performance was staged under the Hope  and Restoration theme to remember victims of gender-based violence like Tshegofatso Pule, who was killed in June 2020. 

Her body was found hanging from a tree in Durban Deep, western Johannesburg. She was eight months pregnant.

“We might be struggling to get funding but our music lessons help the young people around here. After school they sit in this park doing all wrong things but once we start practising they come here and watch. Some even end up joining,” she said.

“About today’s performance, we carefully selected songs that appeal to our audience. We featured  three soloists from the youth section, Nomsa Molobye who played in the first movement of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto K622.

“Thoko Thothobolo played in the second movement of the same Concerto K622, then one of the orchestra’s legends, Strike Mashobane, was featured  in Andate in C for Flute and Orchestra  pleading with South African men to stop abusing women. We always perform songs that are addressing what the country is going through, be it happy or sad moments.”

Spokesperson of  the Tshegofatso Pule Foundation, Botlhale Modisane said: “I want to thank the Thuthukani Orchestra for their support. Since the outbreak of Tshego’s case we have been receiving  support from different people and organisations.

“As a foundation we have  become a pillar of  strength to family and victims of gender-based violence and femicide. We assist to open cases and court processing and counselling. We work with different organisations. We wanted Tshego to be remembered  as a winner.”

bambalelep@sowetan.co.za