CORVALLIS, Ore. – Nobuntu, an all-female a cappella quintet from Zimbabwe, will perform at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 6, in the LaSells Stewart Center on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis.

The concert is the opening performance of the College of Liberal Arts/School of Arts and Communication’s “SAC Presents” performing arts series for 2019-2020. The OSU women’s chorus, Bella Voce, will join Nobuntu for some traditional Zimbabwean songs during the program.

Nobuntu is known for its inventive performances of music ranging from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro jazz to gospel. The ensemble’s concerts are performed with voices augmented by minimalistic traditional percussion instruments and dance movements.

The word “Nobuntu” is an African concept that values humbleness, love, unity and family from a woman’s perspective. The ensemble represents a new generation of young female African singers who celebrate and preserve their culture, beauty and heritage through art.

Nobuntu is comprised of Thandeka Moyo, soprano/first tenor; Zanele Manhenga, known as Uzah, soprano/alto; Joyline Sibanda, alto/tenor; Heather Dube, alto/tenor/bass; and Duduzile Sibanda, tenor/baritone/bass. The group’s mission is to be a vehicle for change that transcends racial, tribal, religious, gender and economic boundaries.

The ensemble was nominated for Best Musician of the Year at the Zimbabwe International Women Awards in London in 2015 and has twice won Best Imbube Group at the Bulawayo Arts Awards. In recent years, the quintet has performed at festivals and concert halls in Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic and throughout Africa.

Tickets for the performance are $30 and $35 in advance or $35 and $40 at the door. OSU student tickets are $10 each, limit one per student, with ID card in advance or at the door. All seats are reserved. The performances will be held in Austin Auditorium at the LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St.

To purchase tickets in person, go to Fairbanks Hall room 309A or 309B, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets will also be available at the LaSells Stewart Center box office prior to the concert. To purchase online, visit https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/SACpresents or call 541-737-5592.

SAC Presents participates in Corvallis Arts for All. Individuals in the SNAP program with an Oregon Trail card may purchase up to two tickets at $5 each starting one hour prior to each performance, while seats last. For availability of Corvallis Arts for All tickets or for accommodations for people with disabilities, call 541-737-5592.

Lobby and box office will open at 6:30 p.m. Wine and light snacks are available for purchase from Lumos Winery prior to the performance and during intermission.

Child care is available on campus for all SAC Presents performances through OSU KidSpirit’s Adult Night Out. Advanced registration and fee required. Visit the KidSpirit website at https://kidspirit.oregonstate.edu/adult-night-out for details and registration. 

Other performance in the 2019-20 SAC Presents series are:

  • Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin: Together on Stage, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10.
  • Paul Dresher Ensemble: The Schick Machine, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020.
  • Slavic Soul Party!, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2020.
  • yMusic, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2020.  

SAC Presents is funded in part by donations made during the Cornerstone Campaign for the Arts and by OSU Friends of the Arts.

College of Liberal Arts

About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts encompasses seven distinct schools, as well as several interdisciplinary initiatives, that focus on humanities, social sciences, and fine and performing arts. Curriculum developed by the college’s nationally and internationally-renowned faculty prepares students to approach the complex problems of the world ethically and thoughtfully, contributing to a student's academic foundation and helping to build real-world skills for a 21st century career and a purposeful life.

Story By: 

Erin O’Shea Sneller, 541-737-5592, [email protected]

Source: 

Erin O’Shea Sneller, 541-737-5592, [email protected]

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