The Inaugural Wits Vice-Chancellor Music Concert

THE INAUGURAL WITS VICE-CHANCELLOR’S MUSIC CONCERT

Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, hosts this musical extravaganza entrenched in artistic talent and creative research, as Wits University enters its second century of excellence.

Expect kaleidoscopic sounds from renowned and critically acclaimed artists.

First up is vocal sensation LESEDI MASELA, a bass baritone opera singer, accompanied by ANDREW DUNCAN, an experienced pianist and piano teacher skilled in collaborative and solo piano performance and research.

Gracing the stage next is the duo CARA STACEY and MPHO MOLIKENG. Stacey, PhD, is a musician (piano and southern African musical bows), composer, musicologist and 2021 Standard Bank Young Artist for Music awardee. Lesotho-born Molikeng is a multi-faceted artist – curator, actor, poet, painter, and cultural activist – who plays several African instruments including Lesiba, Mamokhorong, Setolotolo, Mbira, and Thomo.

After that sound scene, it’s time for MOMBELLI’S CHAMBER with Wits’ own Carlo Mombelli, a critically acclaimed and world-renowned bassist, composer, and educator in Wits Music, Wits School of Arts. He’s joined by Kyle Shepherd, an award-winning jazz pianist and film composer. Sisonke Xonti, a celebrated saxophonist and the 2020 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Jazz is on bass clarinet; and on drums is Jonno Sweetman, an eminent drummer for the likes of Karen Zoid and Albert Frost.

Rounding off this aural soundscape is the KHAYA MAHLANGU BAND featuring jazz giant Khaya Mahlangu, a Soweto-born jazz composer and saxophonist; Mandla Mlangeni, a Capetonian jazz musician and trumpeter; KwaZulu-Natal’s Sanele Phakati, a pianist and composer; Durban bassist, Dalisu Ndlazi; and Durban drummer, Sphiwe Shiburi.

This is star-studded special evening in a state-of-the-art music hall is not to be missed! Tickets R250 at Webtickets. Extremely limited!

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