The Christel House South Africa’s (CHSA) jazz band thrilled the audience with their talent when they performed at Artscape Theatre on Saturday 14 June.
CHSA’s 14-member student band was among eleven ensembles selected from across the Western Cape who took part in the Artscape Youth Jazz Series, marking the second consecutive year the school’s musicians took part, according to school spokesperson Jade Page.
The non-profit, no-fee school in Ottery provides about 1 000 students from under-resourced communities in Cape Town with high-quality, high-impact and rounded education.
People’s Post reported that four of Christel House’s girls would take part in the Intercoiffure Mondial Hamburg 25 World Congress in Germany.
About the jazz series Page said “there was a highly competitive audition process.
The series, which began in 2003 as the Youth Jazz Festival, has grown into a celebrated platform showcasing South Africa’s most promising young jazz talent. In preparation for the performance, Christel House SA students participated in a series of jazz masterclasses led by established professionals, gaining invaluable mentorship and exposure to the industry.
The two-day Artscape programme opened on Friday 13 June with standout youth jazz solo performances, followed by school bands on Saturday.”
The spirit of Youth Day and South Africa’s rich jazz heritage were celebrated by all the bands who took part on the day.
“Each group was tasked with interpreting music rooted in local tradition,” Page said. “One of the standout moments of the school’s performance was a rousing rendition of ‘Pata Pata’ from legendary South African singer, songwriter and activist Miriam Makeba.”
CHSA’s band was led by music coach and proud alumnus Kyle Daniels. “We chose a repertoire that reflected both cultural pride and contemporary relevance — a mix of South African songs and one by Billie Eilish.
The idea was to connect the learners with music that speaks to their roots while also engaging with the music they hear around them today,” he said.
Junior School principal Carol Kriel said she was beaming with pride over the young band.
“The staff and learners of CHSA are filled with pride. We were the only school to feature junior-school children at the festival. It was nothing short of extraordinary to witness our learners take the stage with such confidence, poise and passion, true budding artists in every sense. Their journey was paved with dedication and perseverance, supported tirelessly by excellent music teachers and inspirational visits from Hugo Smuts, a music specialist from the Western Cape Education Department. A special moment for us was their final dress rehearsal, where they shared their music with our Foundation Phase learners, which was a source of joy and inspiration.”
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