Eight very anxious and nervous learners attended the Art and Culture Festival at The Johannesburg Theatre in Braamfontein on the 19th March 2018. This festival brought together many different artists from different cultures, schools and age groups who were able to showcase their many talents including marimba players, painters, soloists, sketch artists, bands and a variety of singing groups. Our learners did exceptionally well and we are so proud of them. For most of them this was the first time competing in a competition but they did not let this get in the way of their remarkable achievements.
The artists' work was judged by David Andrew, Associate Professor and Head division Visual arts, Wits School of the Arts, University of Witwatersrand. He is very well respected in the art community and it was a privilege to have him as one of the adjudicators. Langa Ngwenya received an A+ for his playful painting of a cat. Gerald Mthethwa received an A for his amazing self-portrait painting and Felix Setoboli received an A for his captivating painting of a horse.
Our singers were judged by Bryan Schimmel, who has positioned himself as one of the leading and most diverse Music Directors, Arrangers and Orchestrators in South Africa. He has worked in theatre, special events, recording and television across a full spectrum of music from rock bands to Big Bands, string quartets to symphony orchestras. The quartet, consisting of Lerato Nkine, Angela Odei, Angel Dhladhla and Chidinma Okeke, sang the song ‘Joy by The Soil’ and was awarded a B+ for their outstanding performance. Chadwin Mile sang a solo piece and chose the song ‘Sorry' by Justin Bieber; he was awarded a C+ for his marvellous performance.
Thank you to Mrs Gwara and Ms Maseko for all their hard work and effort. Thank you to all the parents who came to support their children. It was a very successful evening and the children made CityKidz proud. We hope that next year we will have more entries as "art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colours flowers, so does art colour life." - John Lubbock.
