Saturday 4 April 2009

Kinshasa Orchestra plays Carmina Burana

Musicians in the west may gripe but they ain't seen nothing. In Kinshasa the local orchestra have to build their own instruments and share scores round. "I haven't made a violin yet", says the orchestra manager but I've made 10 basses and 5 cellos." That's the spirit! In the Congo average life expectancy is 53 years, per capita GDP is USD 1200 per annum. Many places don't have clean running water, or paved roads. Life's tough. Yet these people care about higher things. "Music is like prayer" says a cellist. "Music helps me to think", says a soprano. "When I'm sick, and I sing, music gives me strength". This clip shows the orchestra and a local choir doing Carmina Burana. Some time back Operachic raised the very valid point that Carmina Burana is about the struggle of life. (see label at right under Carmina Burana for my comments and a FUNNY video). In Kinshasa, people aren't so far from war and poverty. When they do this music they aren't thinking Nazi rallies or O2 arena glitz. Maybe they're thinking Old Spice ads or whatever, but the fact that they care enough about music to do what they do says a lot about who they are.
Since this post was first written, more has been happening ! Please read the comment below and follow the website http://www.kinshasa-symphony.com. As they say in Cantonese "Feichou tak !" (Africa CAN !!!!!")

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please take a look at the short video "Kinshasa orchestra / Carmina Burana". In the meantime the orchestra had its first open air performance in its neighborhood, Ngiri-Ngiri. A great success with thousands of Kinois attending a three hour concert.
That event will be featured in the documentary film about the orchestra. Please take a look at the website http://www.kinshasa-symphony.com.

Doundou Tchil said...

WOW !!! Thank you ! I did have the video but it didn't fit on the page so I deleted it because it was covering other things. PLEASE let me know when the documentary comes out. This is a wonderful event, which should be celebrated because it shows how people can do good things. In the west people take everything for granted, they don't know what it is like to struggle. PLEASE keep me informed !!!

Anonymous said...

Dear Doundou Tchil,

the film is finished, it will come out very soon. Its premiere will be at Berlin International Film Festival in February. Please take a look at our website, where you can watch the trailer for the film. Release dates will be posted as soon as possible. Thank you for your interest in "Kinshasa Symphony".

Doundou Tchil said...

Wonderful ! Excellent website. I will make a special post about it soon ! Good luck and many good wishes !