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The Lycoming College annual spring Williamsport Community Concert Association (WCCA) endowed concert will feature the South African troupe Thula Sizwe on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m., at the McIver Rehearsal Hall in the Trachte Music Center. Thula Sizwe: The Group Zulu will present an authentic snapshot of the Zulu culture and musical tradition, giving an American audience a reminder of when South Africa was on the world stage and freedom to sing was not guaranteed. Donations between $10 and $20 are suggested. The concert is free for Lycoming College students.
The concert, made possible by the WCCA Endowed Fund, is the third public offering resulting from the merger of Lycoming College and the WCCA. The relationship ensures that the legacy of the WCCA will endure, and that the music department at the College, as well as the local community, will continue to be augmented and further enriched.
Thula Sizwe, meaning “hush and listen,” is a South-African, 10-man singing and dancing troupe. The group uses a call-and-response acapella style called Isicathamiya, or “walk softly,” originating from tribal performances from the 20th century and evolving into work songs as men left their rural homes for urban work. Formed in the 1980s, Thula Sizwe created music together during South Africa’s apartheid, a period when unemployment was high and the group of black singers needed special permission to perform. Thus, music and language are integral not only to their work but to their lives; the troupe’s leader, Jabulani Abel Dlamini, comes from a family of musicians and speaks nine of his country’s 11 official languages.
In addition to its public performance, the group will meet with the College’s world music class, led by Lycoming’s William Ciabattari, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the music department, for performance demos, a question and answer session, and a history discussion. Thula Sizwe will also visit the Lycoming College Choir for a rehearsal and workshop.
“We are excited to host Thula Sizwe at Lycoming College,” said Ciabattari, “and we are proud to help continue the legacy of the Williamsport Community Concert Association to bring cultural enrichment to our community.”
The Lycoming College music program offers an enriching curriculum that is bolstered by numerous performance and professional opportunities, and a flexible course structure that allows students to design their own path to match their career goals and interests. More information on music for majors and non-majors is available at https://www.lycoming.edu/music/.