(Pic: Chris Ntuli, front, with his Durban Black Drifters)Durban Black Drifters to tour 100 schools in the Durban Metro townships.
Durban’s famous isicathamiya group Durban Black Drifters will tour 100 schools in the Durban Metro townships and surrounding areas starting next week when schools reopen. Sponsored by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, the Durban Black Drifters Isicathamiya Schools Workshops Project has in the past visited over 1,000 schools in Durban metro townships and rural areas of KZN.
Started in 1992 the programme has unearthed, nurtured and developed talent amongst school-based youth and this project has resulted in an annual High Schools Choir Competition held at The Playhouse in Durban.
The main objective of this project is to preserve, promote, develop, educate and transfer skills to youth and to create awareness about the importance of this music as it is on the verge of extinction.
For the past 18 years –Durban Black Drifters have been involved in teaching isicathamiya music in townships and rural schools, It Is the only isicathamiya group that teaches isicathamiya at school level encouraging the creation of school choirs thus preserving music. Led by Nkandla-born Chris Ntuli Drifters has toured overseas in France, Belgium, China, Japan, Canada, Norway and USA. Ntuli has worked and recorded with big artists such as Black Mambazo, Madala Kunene, Busi Mhlongo and both late Jabu Khanyile and Sipho Gumede and Aerto Moreira (Brazil).
Their last album entitled Obababethu was nominated for SAMA Awards and are busy putting final touches to they forthcoming album entitled ‘Ushaka which is due for release at the end of July. After this the group jets off to the USA in August and London later in November.
Chris Ntuli has also initiated recorded and produced the first isicathamiya compilation entitled ‘The Best Of Isicathamiya Groups, featuring all popular and veteran Durban-based isicathamiya groups released under their recording label Universal Music. All interested schools should book their workshops and for more information call 073 301 6740.
Posts
