Berliner Boersenzeitung - Top Africa orchestra began with brake cables for strings

EUR -
AED 3.846458
AFN 71.211176
ALL 97.412843
AMD 406.811894
ANG 1.887241
AOA 956.640935
ARS 1051.428592
AUD 1.608171
AWG 1.887622
AZN 1.787721
BAM 1.94682
BBD 2.114156
BDT 125.138011
BGN 1.955509
BHD 0.394704
BIF 3034.333258
BMD 1.047225
BND 1.407209
BOB 7.235625
BRL 6.090347
BSD 1.047075
BTN 88.4754
BWP 14.296058
BYN 3.427092
BYR 20525.602023
BZD 2.110863
CAD 1.463847
CDF 3005.534618
CHF 0.928583
CLF 0.03695
CLP 1019.567969
CNY 7.576459
CNH 7.597437
COP 4597.630131
CRC 532.296452
CUC 1.047225
CUP 27.751452
CVE 110.613091
CZK 25.354142
DJF 186.112546
DKK 7.458821
DOP 63.25565
DZD 139.901282
EGP 52.012714
ERN 15.708369
ETB 129.23088
FJD 2.379611
FKP 0.826592
GBP 0.831973
GEL 2.853676
GGP 0.826592
GHS 16.598349
GIP 0.826592
GMD 74.352935
GNF 9037.548191
GTQ 8.083713
GYD 219.089433
HKD 8.150638
HNL 26.363899
HRK 7.470124
HTG 137.485836
HUF 411.088281
IDR 16675.428446
ILS 3.890063
IMP 0.826592
INR 88.480582
IQD 1372.387829
IRR 44093.391567
ISK 146.108348
JEP 0.826592
JMD 166.302915
JOD 0.742584
JPY 161.458939
KES 135.614106
KGS 90.595555
KHR 4241.259434
KMF 491.829597
KPW 942.501737
KRW 1466.554465
KWD 0.322158
KYD 0.872675
KZT 519.294876
LAK 22997.052059
LBP 93778.962407
LKR 304.684618
LRD 188.762185
LSL 18.965252
LTL 3.092182
LVL 0.633456
LYD 5.115689
MAD 10.486854
MDL 19.069043
MGA 4891.586326
MKD 61.525564
MMK 3401.344628
MNT 3558.469111
MOP 8.394618
MRU 41.799981
MUR 48.593488
MVR 16.179757
MWK 1817.981712
MXN 21.385321
MYR 4.675828
MZN 66.925952
NAD 18.964918
NGN 1774.186923
NIO 38.527419
NOK 11.597222
NPR 141.561038
NZD 1.78822
OMR 0.403194
PAB 1.04717
PEN 3.974207
PGK 4.216653
PHP 61.815578
PKR 291.021899
PLN 4.344987
PYG 8218.776313
QAR 3.812683
RON 4.977038
RSD 116.989628
RUB 106.083365
RWF 1435.744917
SAR 3.931627
SBD 8.750118
SCR 14.091129
SDG 629.903184
SEK 11.589368
SGD 1.409667
SHP 0.826592
SLE 23.651533
SLL 21959.781063
SOS 598.485238
SRD 37.077012
STD 21675.434737
SVC 9.162736
SYP 2631.183058
SZL 18.975788
THB 36.383713
TJS 11.152657
TMT 3.675758
TND 3.301902
TOP 2.452702
TRY 36.169354
TTD 7.108213
TWD 34.046633
TZS 2777.615603
UAH 43.232448
UGX 3869.006119
USD 1.047225
UYU 44.622895
UZS 13488.252609
VES 48.454165
VND 26623.067216
VUV 124.328608
WST 2.923423
XAF 652.945238
XAG 0.034027
XAU 0.000392
XCD 2.830177
XDR 0.798815
XOF 651.373441
XPF 119.331742
YER 261.711912
ZAR 18.966175
ZMK 9426.275251
ZMW 28.876803
ZWL 337.205892
  • RBGPF

    -0.5000

    59.69

    -0.84%

  • CMSC

    0.1200

    24.64

    +0.49%

  • SCS

    -0.0300

    13.04

    -0.23%

  • RIO

    0.1800

    62.57

    +0.29%

  • CMSD

    0.1850

    24.445

    +0.76%

  • GSK

    0.3500

    33.7

    +1.04%

  • RYCEF

    0.1800

    6.79

    +2.65%

  • NGG

    -0.1700

    63.1

    -0.27%

  • BTI

    -0.1000

    36.98

    -0.27%

  • RELX

    0.6500

    45.76

    +1.42%

  • BCC

    2.9500

    140.36

    +2.1%

  • VOD

    -0.1000

    8.84

    -1.13%

  • JRI

    0.0000

    13.23

    0%

  • BCE

    -0.3200

    26.68

    -1.2%

  • BP

    0.4400

    29.52

    +1.49%

  • AZN

    1.0600

    64.26

    +1.65%

Top Africa orchestra began with brake cables for strings
Top Africa orchestra began with brake cables for strings / Photo: Hardy BOPE - AFP

Top Africa orchestra began with brake cables for strings

When Armand Diangienda founded the Kimbanguist Symphony Orchestra -- one of the most famous in Africa -- in 1994, they had so few instruments that musicians had to share.

Text size:

They got to play them for only 15 minutes before handing them on to the next person.

"When a string broke, we would replace it with bicycle (brake) cables," he told AFP.

With the Democratic Republic of Congo at war and in chaos for most of the orchestra's first decade, they had to mend and make do with the poor quality instruments they could find.

"We didn't know how to buy a violin, we didn't know how to buy a string," Diangienda said. "So when a violin broke we had to repair it."

But "we were motivated".

The orchestra, which began with a ragtag band of around a dozen string musicians, has since gone on to become a trailblazer for classical music in Africa, with fans all over the world.

"At the beginning it was really just a dream," Diangienda told AFP from a studio in its Kinshasa headquarters as musicians tuned up outside.

The orchestra now boasts 200 highly accomplished members, including a choir.

- 'Real learning curve' -

But at the beginning not everyone knew how to read music and the group had just a few instruments between them.

"It was a real learning curve," Diangienda said.

The instruments they had were in poor condition -- not helped by the hot and humid climate -- and there was little money.

But by 1999 everyone had their own instrument picked up here and there.

The idea for the orchestra was born in 1985 when Diangienda's father, Joseph, asked him to gather up different musical groups from within the Kimbanguist church.

The religious movement -- which is said to have millions of members in the DRC -- was founded in 1921 by Diangienda's grandfather, a visionary whose followers believe he was Jesus Christ's special envoy on Earth.

The orchestra gave its first concert almost exactly 30 years ago in December 1994.

Since its humble beginnings it has played in countries across the world including Germany and the United States and has met celebrities including Angelina Jolie and Lionel Richie.

It has also collaborated with other groups including Germany's Tuebingen Chamber Orchestra and regularly has international soloists play with it.

Its conservatory of music in Kinshasa is now home to a school for young people to learn to read and play music.

- Persistence pays -

But teaching musicians was not always so seamless, and many joined with absolutely no musical knowledge.

Pauleth Masamba, 43, joined up the year the orchestra was founded wanting to play the cello, but accidentally mixed up its name with the violin -- two very similar words in French.

But as the orchestra grew, so did her love for her instrument.

"I bring it everywhere, even if I go on a personal errand I go with my violin. It's my loyal friend," she said, holding the instrument as she talked.

Two years after the orchestra began, the DRC was plunged into the First Congo War, which saw dictator Mobutu Sese Seko ousted, and then the longer and even more bloody Second Congo War from 1998 to 2003.

But it has still managed to become one of the continent's leading classical music institutions.

Dauphine Mata, a 33-year-old violinist who joined at 19, hailed it for introducing classical music to the country and continent.

"Before (becoming famous) we had a small fan base, people weren't really interested in the music," she said.

"Now we are on the stage more people appreciate it," she added.

But no one is more proud of their work than Diangienda.

"We were patient and we persevered, we alway fought for our dreams," he said.

(A.Berg--BBZ)