The Fort Worth Press - Top Africa orchestra began with brake cables for strings

USD -
AED 3.672945
AFN 68.452776
ALL 93.048382
AMD 390.177793
ANG 1.816976
AOA 912.000099
ARS 998.254804
AUD 1.545095
AWG 1.8
AZN 1.698032
BAM 1.853558
BBD 2.03554
BDT 120.47462
BGN 1.854815
BHD 0.376842
BIF 2977.069937
BMD 1
BND 1.347372
BOB 6.966716
BRL 5.8066
BSD 1.008198
BTN 85.007628
BWP 13.679442
BYN 3.299388
BYR 19600
BZD 2.031743
CAD 1.40115
CDF 2865.00001
CHF 0.886796
CLF 0.035848
CLP 989.153355
CNY 7.2386
CNH 7.250155
COP 4485.54
CRC 514.803442
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 104.500739
CZK 23.960302
DJF 179.528977
DKK 7.067495
DOP 60.720649
DZD 134.172669
EGP 49.290223
ERN 15
ETB 123.045036
EUR 0.94761
FJD 2.27535
FKP 0.788182
GBP 0.78774
GEL 2.73022
GGP 0.788182
GHS 16.275027
GIP 0.788182
GMD 71.000353
GNF 8626.906515
GTQ 7.732614
GYD 209.363849
HKD 7.782585
HNL 25.442281
HRK 7.13329
HTG 132.50221
HUF 386.996975
IDR 15903.429748
ILS 3.75444
IMP 0.788182
INR 84.41005
IQD 1320.093319
IRR 42092.497378
ISK 139.679665
JEP 0.788182
JMD 159.538871
JOD 0.709096
JPY 155.855499
KES 129.000177
KGS 86.2029
KHR 4082.940274
KMF 466.349913
KPW 900.000082
KRW 1405.409479
KWD 0.30779
KYD 0.833937
KZT 496.700918
LAK 22131.335237
LBP 89600.701953
LKR 294.541861
LRD 189.957415
LSL 18.103174
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.882485
MAD 10.020131
MDL 18.159255
MGA 4702.502532
MKD 58.284107
MMK 2097.999942
MNT 3397.999993
MOP 8.017648
MRU 40.117279
MUR 47.429998
MVR 15.450179
MWK 1747.434509
MXN 20.575145
MYR 4.487941
MZN 63.899993
NAD 18.103174
NGN 1684.120018
NIO 37.087736
NOK 11.14889
NPR 135.978578
NZD 1.705044
OMR 0.385012
PAB 1
PEN 3.819421
PGK 4.022654
PHP 58.845999
PKR 278.051027
PLN 4.117614
PYG 7864.722013
QAR 3.674102
RON 4.718904
RSD 110.930976
RUB 98.496748
RWF 1383.186748
SAR 3.757331
SBD 8.383555
SCR 13.631406
SDG 601.506863
SEK 10.988925
SGD 1.346361
SHP 0.788182
SLE 22.815025
SLL 20969.515392
SOS 575.878195
SRD 35.280301
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.756103
SYP 2512.529926
SZL 18.108875
THB 35.068502
TJS 10.662352
TMT 3.51
TND 3.147935
TOP 2.38999
TRY 34.34961
TTD 6.800372
TWD 32.596799
TZS 2655.000038
UAH 41.343768
UGX 3672.512403
UYU 42.486895
UZS 12811.433733
VES 44.996696
VND 25396.829083
VUV 118.722046
WST 2.800822
XAF 621.928199
XAG 0.033254
XAU 0.000391
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.753908
XOF 621.928199
XPF 113.14122
YER 249.774976
ZAR 18.26826
ZMK 9001.200197
ZMW 27.374927
ZWL 321.999592
  • CMSC

    0.0700

    24.61

    +0.28%

  • RBGPF

    59.2500

    59.25

    +100%

  • RELX

    -0.4700

    46.12

    -1.02%

  • RIO

    -0.5800

    60.62

    -0.96%

  • BP

    0.4100

    28.57

    +1.44%

  • NGG

    -0.7800

    62.12

    -1.26%

  • AZN

    0.1000

    65.29

    +0.15%

  • SCS

    -0.3000

    13.37

    -2.24%

  • GSK

    -0.4100

    35.11

    -1.17%

  • BTI

    0.1800

    35.42

    +0.51%

  • CMSD

    -0.0200

    24.73

    -0.08%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0400

    7.07

    -0.57%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.24

    +0.15%

  • VOD

    0.2800

    8.75

    +3.2%

  • BCC

    1.4200

    142.55

    +1%

  • BCE

    -0.4800

    27.21

    -1.76%

Top Africa orchestra began with brake cables for strings
Top Africa orchestra began with brake cables for strings / Photo: © 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.

B.Martinez--TFWP