CharitySA.co.za - The Youth Orchestra Company - Gauteng, Soweto & Johannesburg

FOCUS AREA:
Youth Orchestra Company Profile

Vision
The Orchestra Company's vision is to contribute to human and social development, which lie at the heart of transformation in South Africa. Through giving young people opportunities to learn, create and participate in music-making, the Orchestra Company builds people's internal capacity to reach their potential.

Music as an instrument of social change:
In a development context, arts and culture participation is now being recognised as a key factor in human and social development.

Mission
DEVELOPING YOUTH THROUGH MUSIC- social, personal and artistic growth
BUILDING COMMUNITIES - through joint participation in music initiatives
REDRESSING INEQUITIES - responding to musical and educational needs by
PROVIDING ACCESS to music education and training for diverse youth

History
The Orchestra Company is a city-based music organisation in the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan area formed in 1998 in response to the closure of government music centres. It has now grown from one to six different ensembles, orchestras and music groups, providing a musical home to over 1600 learners representing 120 schools, education institutions and community music groups.

Programme Description
The Orchestra Company provides individual and group music training for young learners as well as teacher training and capacity development in the music education sector. Our programmes comprise eight groups where children are integrated into graded orchestras and ensembles, as well as established instrumental training in Soweto and Johannesburg. The company presents over 40 public and community concerts annually, attracting wide media coverage. We also mentor and train student teachers, offering music skills development and employment for young musicians.

Partnerships are a joint commitment to building bridges, addressing historical inequalities and providing opportunities for musical excellence. The Company has developed strong, sustainable partnerships to form integrated musical structures.

Purpose and needs
The Company responds to the needs expressed in under-resourced areas, addressing the lack of music training in historically disadvantaged communities, and the government's current lack of capacity and expertise to deliver this.

The value of music training: children who are exposed to music have an advantage over their peers in terms of emotional, intellectual and cognitive skills and abilities.

Areas of operation: Soweto, Johannesburg, Thokoza, Daveyton, Alexandra, Sebokeng, Bosmont and inner city Johannesburg

Beneficiaries: Youth (ages 6-25) from communities listed above. Arts and Culture teachers in schools; students, professional teachers, musicians and conductors; parents and schools from these communities and audiences.

WE NEED:
Good second hand orchestral instruments for our instrument retrieval programme - The Play it Again Foundation.

Join the Friends of the Youth Orchestra - for an annual donation, receive tickets to our concerts.

Resource mobilisation: funding to enable us to respond to the growing needs for music education and training in under-resourced areas, especially township schools.

Funding partners whose focus areas are education and Youth.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
A weekend of youth music:

'Metamorphosis' - a Gala Concert with the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra at Wits University Great Hall. Saturday 6th October at 7.30pm. Tickets available at Computicket.

Sunday 7th October - Wits University Great Hall. A fun educational concert for the whole family to learn about the orchestra. 2.30 pm. Tickets are only R10 and available at the door.

Concert Enquiries: Nomalungelo Twala on 0114841257