The KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra has dedicated the opening of the current season to music legend, the late Joseph Shabalala.
The founder of the multi-award-winning group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, died earlier this week after a long illness.
KwaZulu-Natal based group “Young Mbazo” performed a musical tribute, in honour of Shabalala on Thursday night. The group is made up of Shabalala’s sons and grandsons.
The young Mbazo credit their grandfather for putting Isicathamiya music on the world map.
“I’m delighted that the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra is utilizing the opening of the summer season to honour Joseph Shabalala, someone who contributed so much to putting South African music on the international map. I remember in 1998, as a young student at the Juilliard School, meeting Joseph Shabalala just after he won the Grammy Award with Paul Simone. He said, please do study, it’s important to study. But come back and plough back what you learnt into South Africa,” says Artistic Director at the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bongani Thembe.
They also applauded him for not forgetting his roots.
Grandson of Shabalala, Lucky Malinga says, “We see ourselves getting more than five Grammys because we have to show that our grandfather taught us well.”
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