Persverklaring: PJ Powers en die Tygerberg-kinderkoor: "World in Union"

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Suidoosterfees en CTMA bied aan: 
PJ Powers en die Tygerberg-kinderkoor: “World in Union”. 
Musiekvideo om essensiële COVID-19-werkers en die wêreldwye stryd teen die pandemie te huldig.
Ons vier ook vandag, 25 Mei, Afrikadag.

Die Suidoosterfees, een van Kaapstad se prominentste kunstefeeste, sou op 3 Mei 2020 vir die sewentiende keer ten einde geloop het. Die fees moes egter vanweë die COVID-19-pandemie en die nasionale inperkingsmaatreëls tot verdere kennisgewing uitgestel word.

In een van die vlagskipproduksies wat vir die 2020-feesprogram geskeduleer was, sou PJ Powers en haar orkes saam met die Tygerberg-kinderkoor opgetree het. Verskeie gemeenskapskore sou ook deelneem aan dié eenmalige massakoor-extravaganza wat in die Kunstekaap Operahuis sou plaasvind.

Met die fees wat aangeskuif moes word, het die organiseerders ’n samewerking met Vicky Davis en Schalk Joubert van die Cape Town Music Academy (CTMA) geloods. Die resultaat: ’n musiekvideo van PJ Powers se rugby-wêreldbekertreffer, “World in Union”. Die video bring hulde aan COVID-19- essensiële werkers en die globale spanpoging om die pandemie hok te slaan. Die musiekvideo huldig ook landsburgers se pogings tot selfisolasie en die gedissiplineerde wyse waarop hulle die inperkingsreëls in dié uitdagende tyd gehoorsaam. Hierdie spesiale projek is die jongste van ’n reeks aanlyn inisiatiewe wat deur die Suidoosterfees in samewerking met feeskunstenaars onderneem is.

Klank- en beeldmateriaal vir die video is tydens die inperkingsperiode opgeneem terwyl kunstenaars in isolasie tuisgebly het. Naas PJ Powers, haar orkes en die 35 kinderkoorlede, was die volgende musikante betrokke: Tigger Reunert, Schalk Joubert, Kevin Gibson, Lolo Rollins en Donveno Prins. Die materiaal, wat in tuisateljees en op slimfone opgeneem is, is agterna deur professionele tegnici vermeng en geredigeer. In die musiekvideo verskyn daar ook beeldmateriaal en fotos wat tydens die staat van inperking gepubliseer is, onder andere deur Die Burger, ’n borg en vennoot van die Suidoosterfees.

PJ Powers (Foto: Kevin Mark Pass)

Jana Hattingh, uitvoerende hoof van die Suidoosterfees, sê dat die fees trots is op projekte wat saam met feeskunstenaars uitgevoer word. “Ons oogmerk is om sosiale samehorigheid te bevorder. Met Afrikadag se fokus op vooruitgang op die kontinent en die gemeenskaplike uitdagings wat ons in die gesig staar, is dit paslik om die video vry te stel as dankbetuiging aan alle werkers wat essensiële dienste lewer. Hierdie brawe mense staan aan die voorpunt van die stryd om ons almal teen die pandemie te beskerm. Ons salueer hulle as helde en hoop dat hierdie boodskap van hoop hul hande sal sterk.”

Toe die projek van stapel gestuur is, was PJ Powers dadelik aan boord. “Ek was verheug toe dié virtuele projek die lig gesien het, aangesien die positiewe boodskap van ‘A World in Union’ in hierdie onseker tye meer toepaslik as ooit tevore is. Hierdie keer het ek dit benader met die gedagte van hoop en genesing. My wens is dat dit ’n plek sal vind in die nasie se harte terwyl ons dié onseker weg bewandel.

“My boodskap aan alle essensiële werkers daar buite is dat Suid-Afrika op hulle staatmaak. Hul dapperheid, deursettingsvermoë en harde werk word raakgesien. Ek bedank hulle uit die diepte van my hart. Mag hulle geseën word en die las binnekort ligter raak.”

Die virtuele werkswyse was vir Powers ’n nuutjie. “Om ’n hele koor op so ’n groot skaal te betrek was een van die opwindendste dinge waarby ek tot nog toe betrokke was. My persoonlike ervaring van die inperking is dat ek elke dag probeer om nie moed op te gee nie. Soms slaag ek daarin; ander kere nie.

“Wat ek vir seker weet, is dat vrees en bekommernis nie ons probleme gaan wegneem nie; dit beroof ons eerder van die vrede wat ons in die toekoms beskore is.  Aan die mense van Suid-Afrika en die kontinent: Ons het ons vermoë om uitdagings die hoof te bied al oor en oor bewys. Hierdie keer is dit ook so.”

Karina Erasmus, dirigent van die Tygerberg-kinderkoor, vertel van die opwinding en uitdagings tydens die opnameproses. “Die koor het dadelik die geleentheid aangegryp om saam met ’n Suid-Afrikaanse legende te sing. Ek het geen twyfel gehad dat die kinders ’n sukses daarvan sal maak nie. Omdat ons tydens die staat van inperking nie toegelaat word om saam te oefen nie, bring hierdie projek vir ons ’n sonderlinge geleentheid om ’n boodskap van hoop aan die wêreld uit te dra.”

Lede van die Tygerberg-kinderkoor het die volgende gesê oor hul ervaring van die projek:

  • Grace Hallet (12): “Hoewel dit ’n uitdaging was, het ons dit gedoen gekry met baie vasbyt en my ma se hulp.”
  • Carla Heydenrych (14): “Dit was groot pret – al het die voëls gesing en ’n kat teen my been probeer opklim tydens die opname.”
  • Gomolemo Matlho (12): “Ek moedig die hele wêreld aan om veilig te bly in hierdie tyd. Daar is lig aan die einde van die tonnel.”
  • Megan Lourens (13): “Vir my is die video saam met PJ Powers baie spesiaal, want dit is ’n pragtige lied. Musiek raak ons almal aan die hart, en ‘World in Union’ doen presies dit. Dit herinner mense oral in die wêreld dat daar hoop vir ons almal is.”

Die Suidoosterfees het onlangs met die CTMA saamgespan om soortgelyke projekte tot stand te bring. Een daarvan, David Kramer se #Tsekcorona-video saam met die geselskap van Kaapkreools, het binne ’n dag nadat dit vrygestel is, soos ’n veldbrand versprei.

Sosiale media:

Suidoosterfees: 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Suidoosterfees
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suidoosterfees2020/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Suidoosterfees

Vir meer inligting, volg CTMA op sosiale media: 
www.ctma.co.za 
www.facebook.com/cptmusicacademy
www.instagram.com/capetownmusicacademy

.............

Suidooster Festival and CTMA present: 
PJ Powers and Tygerberg Children’s Choir: “World in Union” 
Video is a tribute to COVID-19 essential workers and public efforts worldwide.
Today, 25 May, We also celebrate Africa Day.

The Suidooster Festival would have concluded its 17th annual run as Cape Town’s number one inner-city arts festival on 3 May 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions on public gatherings, the festival had to be postponed.

One of the main shows scheduled on the 2020 festival programme, would have featured PJ Powers and her band, performing with the Tygerberg Children’s Choir. The line-up would have been supported by various community choirs for a special, once-off mass choir extravaganza in the Artscape Opera House.

Due to the postponement, the festival organisers embarked on a collaboration with producers Vicky Davis and Schalk Joubert from Cape Town Music Academy (CTMA). The result: a music video of PJ Powers’ Rugby World Cup hit song, “World in Union” The video pays homage to essential workers’ global efforts against COVID-19. It also honours citizens’ disciplined isolation efforts and adherence to lockdown regulations during these challenging times. This special project is the latest of many online projects featuring Suidooster Festival productions and artists.

Audio and footage were recorded during lockdown while all artists were self-isolating at home. They include PJ and her band members, Tigger Reunert, Schalk Joubert, Kevin Gibson, Lolo Rollins and Donveno Prins, as well as the 35 choir members. The video also contains related images, some of which have been published during lockdown in South Africa by Die Burger, media sponsor and partner to the Suidooster Festival.

Suidooster Festival director Jana Hattingh says that the festival is proud to be working on special projects with artists involved. “We strive to promote and encourage social cohesion. With Africa Day’s focus on the continent’s progress amid the collective challenges we all face, it is fitting to release this video as an ode to essential workers who labour day and night to combat the pandemic and keep us safe. In our eyes, they are the true heroes. We salute them and hope that our message of hope will strengthen their hands.”

When the project was initiated, PJ Powers came on board without hesitation. “I was delighted when this virtual collaboration came about, as the song’s important message is more appropriate than ever during these uncertain times. This time around I approached the vocals with a sense of healing and hope in mind. My hope is that it will capture the hearts of the nation as we walk this uncharted path.

“To all essential workers out there, South Africa continues to rely heavily on you. Your courage, resilience and hard work has not gone unnoticed. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. May God Bless you and ease your load in the not too distant future.”

Working in this virtual manner, was a first for Powers. “Incorporating a choir on such a large scale has been one of the most exciting things I’ve done in my long career. My personal experience of lockdown has been one of striving not to surrender every day. Sometimes I manage, sometimes I don’t.”

Tygerberg Children’s Choir (photo: provided)

“But what I do know is that fear and worry does not take away today’s troubles; it takes away tomorrow’s peace. To my fellow artists – we are being tested, not only financially, but also spiritually. Find that balloon of hope inside yourself and hang on for dear life. To South Africans and fellow African countries: we have proved time and again how resilient we are. This is no different.”

Karina Erasmus, conductor of the Tygerberg Children’s Choir, tells of the excitement and challenges during the recording process: “The choir immediately grabbed the opportunity to sing with a South African legend, and I knew from the start that the children would make a success of it. Since we are not allowed to practice together during the lockdown, this project gave us an opportunity to share a message of hope with the world.”

Members of the Tygerberg Children’s Choir commented on the experience of taking part in the project:

  • Grace Hallet (12): “Although it was a challenge, with my mom’s help and lots of perseverance, we got it done.”
  • Carla Heydenrych (14): “From the wind blowing to birds singing or a cat climbing up your leg at a critical point during the recording – it all made the experience lots of fun!”
  • Gomolemo Matlho (12): “I encourage not just South Africa, but the whole world to be safe during this difficult time. There is light at the end of the tunnel.”
  • Megan Lourens (13): “I believe our video with PJ Powers will be extremely special, because it is such a beautiful song. Music touches hearts, and ‘World in Union’ will do just that. It reminds people from all over the world that there is always hope.”

The Suidooster Festival recently collaborated with CTMA on similar initiatives, including the #Tsekcorona video featuring David Kramer and Kaapkreools.

Social Media:

Suidooster Festival:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Suidoosterfees
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suidoosterfees2020/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Suidoosterfees

For updates and more info, follow CTMA on social media:

www.ctma.co.za 
www.facebook.com/cptmusicacademy
www.instagram.com/capetownmusicacademy

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