The young musicians of St John’s DSG showcased exceptional talent at the prestigious Education Africa International Marimba and Steelpan Festival.
Durban, South Africa (15 August 2024) – St John’s DSG showcased both its Senior and Junior Performance Marimba bands at the impressive 13th Education Africa International Marimba and Steelpan Festival.
The Senior band took the stage at St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls in Johannesburg.
This colossal event brought together an astounding 2,300 musicians from 90 schools, with over 350 performances and more than 200 instruments filling the venue over just two days.
The school’s talented girls played exceptionally well and brought home trophies for the first time in St John’s marimba history!
The seniors placed second in the Battle of the Bands category, second in the Strictly Classical category and third in the Proudly African category.
Speaking to The Good Things Guy, St John’s Music Teacher Nafas Frenzel said the bands are made up of extremely committed and a self-driven group of girls.
“The girls took initiative and requested extra rehearsals and made sure to practice beyond their regular rehearsal times. Another participating marimba instructor at the festival mentioned how these (St John’s) girls play with oomph (gusto) yet with beautiful feminine flair, and I totally agree with him.”
In addition to their fantastic performances, the girls attended workshops, learnt from other bands, and had a fabulous time creating lasting memories. It was a weekend of outstanding achievements, and the girls came home beaming with pride due to their phenomenal success.
The Junior School Grade 7 Marimba Band competed in the Online Primary category and secured an impressive second place!
“This was our first time entering the Junior School. Our talented young musicians have made us proud with their hard work and dedication.”
Nafas also shared that the school’s music programme is designed to nurture and develop the musical talent of its students from a young age.
“We offer a marimba programme for Grade 6 to 12 pupils, creating five marimba bands in total. I encourage the girls to have creativity, they need to add a bit of their own taste to the music they learn.”
The bands hope to be regular participants of the Education Africa International Marimba and Steelpan Festival every year.
Sources: St John’s DSG
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