The Lark Ascending - Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) arr. Michael Pilkington
Kabelo Monnathebe, Violin
This performance was filmed at a concert given by the Buskaid Soweto String Ensemble in 2016 at the Linder Auditorium, Johannesburg. We believe this is the first time that The Lark Ascending has been performed by a young black South African violinist. Although Vaughan Williams’ music is quintessentially English, there is plenty of scope for imagining the open spaces of the African bush, and for that matter, an African species of Lark (for example, the Karoo Long-billed Lark), silhouetted against a dramatic African sky.
The Buskaid Music School is situated in Diepkloof Soweto, and offers high quality string tuition to the local, less privileged community. In 2022 Buskaid celebrates its 25th Anniversary.
www.buskaid.org.za