FSSO surprises schools with outreach


The Free State Symphony Orchestra (FSSO) promoted audience development and classical music consumption from a young age by presenting a three-day outreach programme to schools in Mangaung last week.
“The FSSO is a community initiative. We want to inspire kids and empower the community to let them realise there is a career in music,” said Daphney Teffo, Marketing and Admin Assistant.
The FSSO also strives to reach an all-inclusive audience and to give back to the community by conducting these performances, simultaneously encouraging social cohesion. The performances were not only entertaining but had a strong educational focus, which may encourage students to pursue an alternative career path in music.
“These concerts have definitively been effective. Children showed interest and wanted to know where to go for classes to learn more about a specific instrument,” Teffo said.
The long-term vision of these outreaches is for children to become involved with playing instruments and perhaps join the Free State Youth Orchestra and eventually to become a part of the FSSO.
“The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves throughout the different outreaches. They sang along to songs that they recognised from movies, clapped hands and moved to the music,” Teffo said.
The Free State Symphony Orchestra is an NGO that specialises in music education, teaching and the training needs of young musicians from different backgrounds by providing them with the opportunity to be educated, mentored and trained by professional educators and orchestral players employed by the FSSO.
Training takes place from youth-level skills to eventually attaining high-level proficiency in professional symphony orchestra rehearsals and performances.
The FSSO’s main objective is to promote the appreciation of, and participation in orchestral music as an integral part of the cultural heritage and aspirations of all South Africans.
Jeretha Oosthuizen
jeretha@mahareng.co.za

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