In collaboration with The Namibia Music Ensemble, Bank Windhoek will host a music development workshop from Tuesday, 16 until Tuesday, 23 February 2021 in Windhoek. Known as Voice Masterclasses, the workshop, an introduction to classical singing, will take place at the College of the Arts (COTA) from 17:45 to 19:00. Summaries of the workshops will be available online once a day after each session is concluded.The Namibia Music Ensemble founder, Galilei Njembo, Fanie Dorfling, former conductor of the award-winning and internationally recognised COTA Youth Choir, and Hermien Coetzee, voice Lecturer at COTA and a classical singing specialist, will facilitate the Voice Masterclasses. “We will teach participants classical vocal techniques," said Njembo.
The Voice Masterclasses will focus on promoting classical music in Namibia by offering a series of five classical voice training and choral workshops. It will conclude with a collaborative musical performance between participants and professional Namibian classical musicians. The concert will premiere online on Friday, 26 February at 19:00. “Ultimately, the concert allows musicians from various backgrounds to unite, collaborate, and showcase Namibian talent," said Njembo, who added that the concert will premiere Ovaherero's neo-classical composition and popular operatic selections.
The Namibia Music Ensemble's founder brief profile
Galilei Njembo is an aspiring opera singer from Windhoek. He is currently completing his Bachelor's in Music Performance in Voice at the McGill University in Montreal, Canada. His classical singing career began in 2016 with Hermien Coetzee at COTA. He has also been a regular soloist sharing the stage with the Namibian National Symphony Orchestra (NNSO) at the Annual Baroque and Concerto Festivals since 2017.
Njembo has sung as the tenor soloist in both the Haydn Missa Nikolai and Vivaldi's Magnificat in 2019, accompanied by the NNSO and the COTA Youth Choir of Namibia. In 2019, he received COTA's the Prize of Excellence Award.
Bank Windhoek's Head of Corporate Social Investments, Sponsorship, and Events, Bronwyn Moody, said: “As a connector of positive change, we understand that the arts are a fundamental component of a healthy community - strengthening them socially, educationally, and economically. These benefits can persist even in difficult social and economic times, thus our support towards The Namibia Music Ensemble."
For more information, participants and prospective audience can contact Galilei Njembo on Cell: +264 81 889 9576 or send an email to galileiuajenenisanjembo@gmail.com
