British Council in partnership with the Scottish Opera and Maitisong sends 1 music Teacher and 4 young people (Christopher Chipo, Gaone Garogwe, Lameck and Lesego) to Glasgow.
Mr Tebogo Dire a teacher at St Joseph School and four young Batswana singers will be part of the Anamchara – Songs of Friendship in Glasgow
The Education Department of Scottish Opera has since 2010 partnered with a range of partners; The Yuva Ekta Foundation (India), The Calgary Opera (Canada), New Zealand Opera (New Zealand), Cape Town Opera (South Africa), and Maitisong (Botswana ) to commission and produce a new musical item to celebrate Glasgow’s hosting of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The new music item will have an international cast of young professional singers & instrumentalists from the partner companies. The performances will be accompanied by Scottish Opera’s own youth chorus and orchestra (the Connect Company). The chorus will be supported by a community chorus group of adults and children formed from Commonwealth countries’ nationals living, working and studying in Glasgow.
While in Glasgow Mr Dire will have an opportunity to interact with other Educationalists and professionals in the music industry.
Dates of Project 2014:
Music Calls
Sun 6 & Mon 7 July
Production
Tue 8 - Sat 12 July 2014
Mon 14 - Sat 19 July 2014
Tue 22 – Thu 24 July 2014
Performances
Friday 25th July (matinee preview; evening performance)
Saturday 26th July (matinee & evening performance)
Sunday 27th July (matinee performance)
About Maitisong
Maitisong (Setswana word for a place of entertainment) is the theatre complex at Maru-a-Pula School. Located in the hearts of Gaborone, Botswana the school has made the facility available to the community of Gaborone as part of its outreach policy.
For over 25 years, this vibrant theatre has played host to an average of one show per week. Great artists like Abdullah Ibrahim, Sibongile Khumalo, Pieter-Dirk Uys, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Oliver Mtukudzi, Freshly Ground and the Drakensberg Boys Choir have all been on the Maitisong stage-and so have local gospel groups, traditional dancers, drama groups, Broadway musicals and community groups. Maitisong remains the unofficial national theatre in Botswana.
About singers
1. Lameck Kangunde: was born in 1991 in Mahalapye. He is a student at Baisago College studying Human Resources Management and his choir is Gaborone Philharmonic Voices Choir.
2. Lesego Selepeng: Was born in 1993 in Serowe. She is studying Marketing Management at (Mancosa) Management College of Southern Africa, Gaborone Philharmonic Choir.
3. Gaone Garogwe,: Was born in 1992 in Digawana. She is studying Economics and Accounting at University of Botswana and her choir is Maikano Serenaders Choir in Gaborone.
4. Christopher Chipo: Was born in 1991 in Tutume. He was studying Business Skills in GIPS and his choir is Gaborone Philharmonic Voices Choir.
About Tebogo Dire
Tebogo Dire: born in Mochudi in 1974. He is a Mathematics teacher at St Joseph’s College. He started singing when he was still young at church. He was a member of UB choir. He is Founder member of Sedibeng Choral Society. Currently the founder of Gaborone Philharmonic Voices started in 2011. It’s a choral and classical music choir.
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