‘Hit the Beat’ brings concert to locals
Hit the Beat 2016 on 3 and 4 June at the Warehouse Theatre aims for all cultures to meet through music, dance, percussion and art, trying to connect cultural identity to cultural diversity. Eighty learners from grades 10 to 12 from Waldorf School will work together with musicians, artists and teachers from Germany and Namibia.With globalisation a world-wide issue, Europe refugees have opened a huge discussion on how to deal with multicultural concerns in many countries, concerns which have been part of daily life in Namibia for more than a century. The organisers believe that one way of dealing with discrimination and prejudice, while making sure not to lose a cultural identity when cultures are mixing, is communication through music.
This year they have found even more Namibian artists willing to participate in various classes, so patrons can look forward to an amazing performance at Warehouse Theatre.
“Hit the Beat – In Rhythm we meet” is an extraordinary performing arts project, presented by 80 learners at the Waldorf School, with musicians, artists and teachers from Germany and Namibia, incorporating dance, drums, choir, theatre, garbage music and film-making.
The development of the performance included three weeks of choir rehearsals for high school learners from grades 10 to 12, and an additional choice of three workshops for each learner: dance, drumming, solo singing, film making, visual arts or improvisational theatre.
The team behind the pupils comprises Simone de Picciotto, who is the project leader, Carmen Nothando-Voigt (dance and choreography), Mia Rößler (theatre poetry and improvisation), Tapuwanashe Munya (drumming), Felix Spitta (hip-hop and film-making), Markus Sprengler (band singer, vocal coaching and learners firm), Faizel Browne (dancing), Retha Landsberg (Mexican dance), Gerrit von Schouwenburg (art) and Günther Geiger, Adam Brandon-Kirby and Conrad Hegarty in the band.
The Hit the Beat project began in 1998 – inspired by a student’s idea. Simone de Picciotto was then working at a Waldorf School for disadvantaged children in Baden-Wuerttemberg. One of her pupils chose to do drumming for his class 12 project. In the course of working on this with him, Simone began to attend drumming workshops. Soon the first drums had been bought and the first drumming group founded. Since then Simone has been regularly drumming and singing in schools with children.
One of the main aims of Hit the Beat is to unite young people worldwide. In September 2016, a group of the Namibia Hit the Beat project will travel to Germany with Simone and perform together with German pupils+ and refugees from a number of countries.
Tickets bought in advance cost N$60 and at the door N$80. Tickets are available at the school office. For further information call 081 122 8071.