South African schoolchildren play Vivaldi in exhilarating marimba performance

13 June 2022, 17:27

Goede Hoop Marimba Band play Vivaldi

The genre-defying Goede Hoop marimba band take on Vivaldi…

A video of marimba-playing South African students has gone viral, after their smile-inducing performance of Vivaldi has brought joy to all who have shared it.

Originally posted in 2019, the video has recently resurfaced after being posted on Twitter as a “timeline cleanse”, shared by the likes of American author Don Winslow and Deborah Meaden of Dragons’ Den.

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In heart-warming footage shared by Education Africa, the group smile their way through an energised performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria, before sprinkling in themes from ‘Spring’ from the composer’s Four Seasons. Originally written for choir, and string quartet and solo violin respectively, the students from Goede Hoop in South Africa play a highly musical and rhythmic arrangement for marimbas, united in their passion for playing.

The girls’ smiles are infectious, and the lively performance sees them move to the music’s beat, crouching low for a softer section before bursting into a cheerful reprise. The performance ends with a gleeful cheer, and is met with rapturous applause by a tent full of onlookers.

The performance took place at Education Africa’s International Marimba and Steelpan Festival 2019, an annual festival celebrating the two instruments, which are popular in many South African schools. Education Africa also aims to bring together communities, and brings music education and performance opportunities to young people in disadvantaged communities around South Africa.

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