"Musical Hemispheres"

Artists

 

    

Johannesburg Festival Orchestra

 

The Johannesburg Festival Orchestra (JFO) made its debut in concert with Julian Lloyd-Webber, at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre, in 1998. The musicians were all key members of the National Symphony Orchestra, the State Theatre Orchestra and the National Chamber Orchestra, all of which had been recently disbanded. Johannesburg Festival OrchestraThis orchestra is unique in the South African context because of its versatility. In any given week, the musicians can be called upon to play school concerts in Soweto, while at the same time rehearsing for big outdoor pop concerts, and accompanying for overseas artists such as Joshua Bell and Lynn Harrell.

The management and the musicians are totally committed to bringing music to as wide an audience as possible. They believe sincerely that the youth in South Africa will be the audiences and performers of the future, and are doing as much as they can to educate and touch the lives of as many South Africans as possible through live performances, television and radio. Some prominent overseas artists accompanied by the JFO to date include:

  • Julian Lloyd-Webber
  • Sarah Brightman
  • Carl Rosa Opera Company
  • Luciano Pavarotti
  • Lord Yehudi Menuhin
  • The Three Tenors
  • Birmingham Royal Ballet
  • Vanessa-Mae
  • St Petersburg Ballet
  • Helmut Lotti
  • Dance Theatre of Harlem
  • Basler Ballet Company
  • Joshua Bell
  • Lynn Harrell
  • Florian Uhlig
  • Josh Groban
  • Patrizio Buanne

Local TV broadcasts include Imperial College Symphony OrchestraWoza Afrika!, Sewende Laan Ball, Nation Building Massed Choir Festival. Annual concerts include Starlight Classics (10th year) the702 Zoo concert (15th year), Last Night of the Proms (11th year), outreach concerts in Eldorado Park (9th year), as well as the annual Mozart Festival and Bach Festival. They have performed shows such as Rock Legends, Rat Pack, The Merry Widow, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Simply Ballroom.

In recent years, the JFO accompanied the South African Ballet Theatre in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, La Traviata, Giselle and Romeo and Juliet. Last year the JFO played for the William Kentridge production of Mozart’s Magic Flute to excellent reviews. For the three years the JFO was proud to be the Orchestra -in-Residence for the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.