Johannesburg Youth Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Johannesburg Youth Orchestra (JYO) is a youth symphony orchestra founded in 1976. It is a full size symphony orchestra based in Johannesburg
, South Africa
, and is made up entirely of musicians in high school and those that have recently graduated, up to age 25.
The Orchestra is the flagship group of the Johannesburg Orchestra Company, a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 which supports the Youth Orchestra and other youth musical groups. The Youth Orchestra Company provides training and performance opportunities for more than 1000 young people at any given time.
The Orchestra draws its members from all over Johannesburg and Soweto. It is conducted by Adam H. Golding and Timon Wapenaar performs regularly in Johannesburg throughout the year and auditions new members each September. The orchestra is a section 21 company and is based in the Williams Block on the Wits Education Campus, Parktown.
The Orchestra plays at a wide variety of venues including the Linder Auditorium, the Johannesburg Theatre, shopping malls and markets and even at the zoo and botanical gardens. The JYO has performed with local stars ranging from fusion chamber group the Soweto String Quartet
to Kwaito outfit Mafikizolo and SA Jazz legend Jonas Gwangwa
to African instrument specialist Pops Mohamed
. In 2011 the Orchestra formed a relationship with the South African Ballet Theatre, performing in May 2011 at the Val Whyte Bursary Competition.
The Orchestra Company receives support from the public and from foundations such as the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust. It is officially patronized by Duo Zappa Mainfoli under their Soweto Project. The Johannesburg Youth Orchestra also has strong ties with the South African National Youth Orchestra Foundation
(SANYO), which provides them with scores, venues and musicians.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and is made up entirely of musicians in high school and those that have recently graduated, up to age 25.
The Orchestra is the flagship group of the Johannesburg Orchestra Company, a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 which supports the Youth Orchestra and other youth musical groups. The Youth Orchestra Company provides training and performance opportunities for more than 1000 young people at any given time.
The Orchestra draws its members from all over Johannesburg and Soweto. It is conducted by Adam H. Golding and Timon Wapenaar performs regularly in Johannesburg throughout the year and auditions new members each September. The orchestra is a section 21 company and is based in the Williams Block on the Wits Education Campus, Parktown.
The Orchestra plays at a wide variety of venues including the Linder Auditorium, the Johannesburg Theatre, shopping malls and markets and even at the zoo and botanical gardens. The JYO has performed with local stars ranging from fusion chamber group the Soweto String Quartet
Soweto String Quartet
The Soweto String Quartet is a string quartet from Soweto in South Africa composed of Reuben Khemese, Makhosini Mnguni, Sandile Khemese and Thami Khemese. Their music is a fusion of the "dance rhythms of Kwela, the syncopated guitars of Mbaqanga, the saxophones and trumpets of swaying African jazz...
to Kwaito outfit Mafikizolo and SA Jazz legend Jonas Gwangwa
Jonas Gwangwa
Jonas Mosa Gwangwa has been an important figure in South African jazz for over 40 years. He first gained significance playing trombone with The Jazz Epistles...
to African instrument specialist Pops Mohamed
Pops Mohamed
Ismael Mohamed-Jan is a respected South African multi-instrumentalist, jazz musician and producer.Born 10 December 1949 in Benoni, Gauteng Pops Mohamed's career in music was the logical outcome of an early exposure at Dorkay House to the likes of Abdullah Ibrahim and Kippie Moeketsi. He started...
. In 2011 the Orchestra formed a relationship with the South African Ballet Theatre, performing in May 2011 at the Val Whyte Bursary Competition.
The Orchestra Company receives support from the public and from foundations such as the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust. It is officially patronized by Duo Zappa Mainfoli under their Soweto Project. The Johannesburg Youth Orchestra also has strong ties with the South African National Youth Orchestra Foundation
South African National Youth Orchestra Foundation
The South African National Youth Orchestra Foundation is a non-profit organisation in the music education and development sector. The Foundation supports the training and development of South Africa’s young musicians through national courses, national and international tours and workshops, and...
(SANYO), which provides them with scores, venues and musicians.