Wits launches state of the art Chris Seabrooke Music Hall as the institution marks the start of its centenary celebrations

CITYLIFE/ARTS in this feature chats to the people who matter and guides you through what is in this new home of music and what this new excitement  is all about in Wits halls of learning.

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

A new state of the art hall named Chris Seabrooke  Music Hall at the University of the Witwatersrand has recently been unveiled, which will play a crucial role in the Wits School of the Arts as a whole and the department of music specifically.

The building of this hall however took two years, but its planning by leaders in the department took over 10 years, culminating in its unveiling slightly more than a week ago.

This accomplishment by the team at the Department of Music, however, has been achieved during a crucial time for this iconic university on the continent, whose alumni includes leaders and  experts of stature recognized and respected globally for their achievements in their respective professions.. The unveiling, which saw the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits Professor Zeblon Vilakazi give the key note address is happening in the context of the ongoing centenary celebrations for the university.

CITYLIFE/ARTS had a chat with Chantal Willie-Petersen a music lecture in the Music Department at Wits. Willie-Petersen  is also a doctoral candidate whose current research project seeks look for and  amplify the status and the voices of women of colour, whose compositions have been silenced and remain unrecognized in South Africa. These are composers who were overlooked when it came to recognition in the past.

Willie-Petersen spokepassionately about the Chris Seabrooke  Music Hall and the role it will play in the Wits Music Department as well as creating access to the public for concerts that are open to the public that will take place in the hall from now onwards, as well as her personal aim to ceatively bring the compositions of the less known people of colour into the hall as part of her doctoral research.

“Personally I am looking forward to bringing creativity into the hall, such as the compositions of so many women of colour who have contributed so much to the development of music in South Africa and yet were not recognized as they remain on the fringes of recognition which is the focus of my research. However there are  people in the music department, who have worked hard for 10 years, fundraising for the construction of the Chris Seabrooke  Hall. These are the people who should take credit in as far as this hall is concerned.

“The hall is however accessible to the public, who will be able to come to the concerts that are open to the public and get to be exposed to classical and jazz music from fresh talent, while the young talent in the music department will be exposed to the public. This hall will make a huge difference as it has a state of the art facilities that accommodate acoustics,” Chantal added.

Acknowledging the context in which this hall has been unveiled, and that is the ongoing centenary celebrations by Wits, Chantal added  the symbolism talks to the  idea of excellence achieved by the university’s different faculties, as well as Wits School of the Arts, including its music department, over the years and the possibilities that lie ahead for further excellence.

Going  back to the festivities that marked the unveiling of this hall, an event which in reality marked the official beginning of the centenary celebrations, it is understandable why there is excitement in the halls of learning at Wits, especially with the completion of the hall’s construction.

In the first instance, this development has come at a time when there is some kind of relief when it comes to Covid-19 restrictions, allowing concerts to take place with few restrictions for the first time in two years.

Those who attended the unveiling ceremony were h=given a state of what happens when musicians are given the freedom to do what they know best.

TheUniversity launched its centenary campaign with the opening of this new state-of-the-art Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall through performances.

The centenary event   featured  jazz, classical and contemporary music, including performances by Associate Professors Malcolm Nay (pianist) and Carlo Mombelli (bass), and lecturer and doctoral candidate  Chantal Willie-Petersen (jazz),

Professor Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits, said at the event: “It is a singular honour for me to be here with all of you as we gather to celebrate 100 years of one of South African history’s true giants – the University of the Witwatersrand – and we’re doing this with the opening this magnificent music hall, set amidst a booming Braamfontein.”

“During the day the music hall serves as a teaching venue for performance students, and will also be used for composition recitals and ensemble classes. We are even hosting some of our Drama colleagues in our rehearsal venues this year,” Somma said. “We’re now fundraising for the next phase, which is to build performance, practice and teaching venues so that Wits Music students can continue to benefit from an African and world-class music education.”  There you have it about this new addition to Wits and its centenary celebrations.

Post-pandemic music to our ears and context

Formerly a patch of ivy-entangled pavement where Joburg’s first gold miners resided, the music hall reflects an innovative transformation into a contemporaryand sophisticated space. Its foyer is a converted heritage building.

“We are delighted to open the Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall as the University launches its its centenary and after almost two years of lockdown when the arts have been amongst the hardest hit during the pandemic,” said Dr René Smith, Head of the Wits School of Arts.

The establishment of the music hall was enabled by its namesake, businessman and Wits alumnus,  Chris Seabrooke.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the outcome. I think it’s beautiful, the acoustics are great and I know that a lot of people coming through Wits will get tremendous value from this being in place,”said  Seabrooke.

One-of-a-kind acoustics

The Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hall is the only purpose-built live music hall with modern acoustic design in Johannesburg. It is designed specifically for musical performances.

While there are several venues in Johannesburg that can accommodate both staged and musical performances, this music hall is the only space of any size in the City that is exclusively designed to optimize live musical sound with modern acoustic design.

“The music hall features acoustic treatment of the highest quality and is suitable for a range of musical genres – from acoustic music and electrified performances to chamber music and even minimal orchestra,” said  Dr Donato Somma, Head of Wits Music.

Wits Music was established in 1921 as the School of Music at the University College of Johannesburg, which ultimately became Wits University.

“It is always a tough sell to convince people that music training is a resource-intensive, time-intensive process; that creativity needs resources to grow and flourish,” added Somma. “The University’s support for us as a department within the Wits School of Arts has allowed generations of students and wonderful teachers to learn the craft of music.”

Braam arts revival

Wits University is as much a part of Joburg’s history as gold mining is. The University’s Braamfontein

Campus is part of the City’s cultural arcthat spans Constitution Hill, via the Nelson Mandela

Bridge, to Newtown. Wits is an anchor in this cultural precinct as it is home to the Wits Art Museum, the Origins Centre, the Wits Theatre Complex, the Planetarium and a host of other museums and cultural amenities.

“The Wits Chris Seabrooke Music Hallbrings Wits a step closer to realising the arts precinct and ‘cultural arc’ that is an important part of the revival of Braamfontein where the University has been entrenched for a century,” said Professor Garth Stevens, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Wits.

All that jazz …

In Wits’ centenary year and beyond, the public can enjoy the return of the free lunch hour concerts, now at the music hall, where Wits Music students practice performing. Postgraduate recitals in jazz and classical music and a round of public evening concerts are also in the pipeline.