About Carnegie Hall’s History of Presenting South African Music and Artists Presenting South African music and artists has long been a priority for Carnegie Hall. Throughout the decades, the Hall has showcased the exceptional and diverse music and culture of South Africa in its three concert halls and through the music education and social impact programs of the Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI). In 2003, WMI used distance technology to livestream simultaneous concerts for students in Johannesburg and New York City.
The celebrated Hugh Masekela and his band performed in South Africa, collaborating with the Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem and special guests who performed in the newly opened Zankel Hall. Masekela performed at the Hall many times, including a 2014 concert with singer-songwriter Vusi Mahlasela, part of the Hall’s citywide festival UBUNTU: Music and Arts of South Africa.
Additional South African musicians who have performed at the Hall have included Pretty Yende, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Abdullah Ibrahim, David Kramer, and the 15-voice male choir Young Cape Malay Stars.
Building on the success of the UBUNTU festival, and to mark the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s first democratic elections, Carnegie Hall’s 2024-2025 season will feature several of the country’s leading musicians. Highlights include cellist Abel Selaocoe and his Bantu Ensemble; the Ndlovu Youth Choir; the Carnegie Hall debut of jazz pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and a not-to-be-missed collaboration featuring two of South Africa’s foremost singer-songwriters: Zolani Mahola and Jesse Clegg.
“This important platform provided by Carnegie Hall to the South African musicians does not only help to enhance the individual talents of the selected musicians, but also provides an opportunity to further strengthen the existing people-to-people relations between the US and South African citizens, thereby also contributing to the vibrant bilateral relations that both countries share,” said Mzwanele Langa from the South African Consulate General in New York.
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