Young musicians join forces for Musikwoche
A group of young musicians host a concert on Friday to raise money for the Swakopmunder Musikwoche.The Musikwoche has been presented in Swakopmund since 1965 aimed at honing young musical talents during the December holidays, and since its inception has become one of the coast's most loved music events.
Musicians from the Namibian National Symphony Orchestra (NNSO), the Deutsche Höhere Privatschule (DHPS) orchestra, the Namibian Youth Orchestra, APC Oshikuku and pupils from the Otjikondo Village School perform at the DHPS auditorium in Windhoek from 16:30 on Friday.
Over the nearly six decades of its existence, the Swakopmunder Musikwoche has served as an opportunity for young musicians from various socioeconomic backgrounds to come together to not only learn more about music but to have the opportunity to make music together under the guidance of professional musicians and conductors from all over the world.
This event is largely made possible by the financial support of sponsors.
About 70 musicians from all over Namibia who regularly participate in the Swakopmunder Musikwoche were invited to take part in this concert.
Anett Kötting, one of the organisers of the Musikwoche, says that a lack of sponsors is currently hampering this event. "We always need more sponsors. Bank Windhoek came on board last year, but we do not know if this is a permanent arrangement
"We have to apply again every year and even then we only find out in June or July, but we have to let the lecturers know early in the year that they should not make holiday plans," she explains.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisers of the Musikwoche decided to invite alumni of the program to become lecturers.
The opera singer Janice van Rooy and the author of the first Namibian opera Eslon Hindundu are among those who participated in the Musikwoche in their younger days.
"Schools no longer offer the arts. How many children are there who are artists or musicians who just don't have the opportunity to find out if they have a future in music? This is one of the platforms where they can get that exposure," says Kötting.
"Musikwoche was something very special for me. I looked forward to it all year because it was the only big thing that happened in Swakopmund all year. It was a platform where I could see and hear other fantastic musicians in live bodies and other instruments for the first time.
“There were many firsts for me, and as a musician, it exposed me to new genres of music and new types of instruments. In my young life it was fantastic and magical," says Janice van Rooy about her experiences at the Musikwoche. – [email protected]