SA: International Marimba and Steelpan Festival set for 27 and 28 July

The event will run under the theme Peace and Harmony and will feature performers, educators and music enthusiasts, offering a unique platform to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Africa and foster global unity through marimba and steelpan music.

This year’s event is set to feature an impressive line-up of approximately 330 performances from artists hailing from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago, with a record-breaking total of 2 300 musicians slated to take part.

“Having recently successfully navigated a democratic election and celebrating 30 years of democracy in South Africa, we wanted a theme for the festival that reflects what we feel the world is currently yearning for – peace and harmony,” Marimba specialist and International Marimba & Steelpan Festival director Joan Lithgow said. “And what better way to celebrate this than our annual Education Africa International Marimba & Steelpan Festival.”

Education Africa has a long-standing commitment to advancing education and empowering youth. As part of its broader mission, the organisation also seeks to create sustainable educational opportunities for disadvantaged communities. The festival is one of the organisation’s flagship initiatives and serves as a fundraising platform to support the Education Africa marimba project, ensuring that more children have access to quality education and artistic development.

“Through the universal language of music, the festival aims to promote social cohesion, creativity, cultural exchange, appreciation and understanding among young musicians and our audience,” Lithgow said, adding that participants from diverse backgrounds and age groups would engage in collaborative sessions, fostering connections that transcend borders and nurture a sense of unity among diverse cultures and communities.

The festival has become a hallmark event in the South African marimba community. It provides a dynamic platform for young musicians to share their skills, learn from experienced mentors, and explore the captivating rhythms of marimba and steelpan music. In addition to the numerous categories of competitions, the festival will also feature a range of activities including performances by professional musicians as well as over 90 workshops in various disciplines including gumboot dancing, marimba and steelpan playing, djembe drumming and mbira playing.

For more information about the International Marimba & Steelpan Festival, visit here.