All the students at S/K will hear the accapella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo at Hill Auditorium on Monday, February 1. This group of 10 men, lead by South African Joseph Shabalala, sing call and response songs, ostinatos and three-part harmony without instrumental accompaniment. These are three kinds of vocal harmony we have or will try in the music classroom. (We also sing rounds and canons). Ladysmith is the town
Shabalala is from. The word "black" in the title refers to the very strong oxen of that color that do much work in the fields, while "mambazo" is the Zulu word for "axe".
This singing group was used to "chopping through competition" in many past amateur singing contests. They won so many times they were eventually banned from competing but the other groups from nearby towns. They happened upon an opportunity to sing on the radio. Someone with producing connections heard them and off they went. In 1985, Paul Simon went to South Africa and asked them to collaborate with him on an album. This brought them to mainstream American airwaves.

They have sung at the Olympics, in Rome for the Pope, in England for Queen Elizabeth II, at Nelson Mandela's Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, and with Paul McCartney and others.

In class two of the classes have listened to two of their pieces, "Homeless" and Music Has No Boundries". Anita's and Elaine's class will be enjoying this music
for the first time. This concert in geared for students K-12, so our bright youngsters will find this experience interesting.