BREAKING musical boundries.
Conductor Ofentse Pitse's mission is simple, to make classical music accessible to everyone.
The trailblazing conductor, who was the first black South African woman to conduct and own an all-black orchestra, has been blending orchestral music with other genres through her Ofentse Pitse Concert Series.
She's previously partnered with Maglera Doe Boy and Kabza De Small, and now she'll be performing with amapiano star Young Stunna.
Episode 2 of her Concert Series with Young Stunna will take place on Wednesday, 27 May, at the Star Theatre in Cape Town.
Why Young Stunna?
Speaking to Daily Sun, Ofentse (33) from Mabopane in Tshwane, said the idea behind the collaboration is rooted in breaking boundaries between two worlds that rarely meet.
"I chose Young Stunna because, how can you ignore such a talented person, right? Such an exclusive individual and creative. Young Stunna has this thing about him whether you like it or not, you'll just be like, 'That young man can really come on the stage,' right?"
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"And so the decision to go with Young Stunna was really rooted in how I've always thought of orchestra as a world that has to exist beyond what we are used to. In an effort to break that mould, I always look at how we can juxtapose the world of the conventional orchestra with pop culture in a way that makes the music and the art truly accessible," Ofentse said.
She said Young Stunna was also chosen for his versatility as a storyteller.
"From a storyteller's point of view, I just knew I had to get Young Stunna for this next instalment of the concert series. He's definitely always that guy who, whenever I see him or listen to his new music or features, I'm like, 'He still has it.' And I feel like he's going to have it for many years to come," she said.
Inspired by Tiny Desk
Ofentse explained that the Concert Series was inspired by the Tiny Desk concept, where music is stripped down and reimagined in intimate spaces.
"I've been following the Tiny Desk series for so many years. I've looked at how they always announce a new Tiny Desk with an artist, and you're like, 'What?' And then you hear the music of these artists stripped down in this intimate space where you get to feel the song bar for bar, note for note. So, with this concert series, I thought about how I could bring people together in an intimate setting with their favourite artist and an orchestra ensemble," the musician said.
Storytelling through music
She emphasised that the aim is not just performance, but storytelling through music.
"It's about taking the audience on a journey - from where the artist started, to their biggest hits, their features and even their more spiritual or prayerful songs. We also talk about where they come from, their story, their hustle and what inspired their music," said Ofentse.
The conductor admitted that merging classical music with amapiano requires deep research and careful musical balancing.
"Definitely, because imagine the polar opposites of classical music and amapiano. I'm in classical music every day-I work with orchestras and opera every day. So it becomes a bit of a challenge to step outside of that world and think, 'How do we make this work for pop culture?' It's all rooted in extensive research, actually. I have to sit down, listen to songs, study the artists, and understand their story," she said.
