The Xiquitsi Classical Music Season-2024 kicks off at the beginning of next month with the first series of three concerts scheduled for May 2, 3 and 4.

On May 2, the Gala Concert is scheduled for 7pm at the Maputo City Council. On May 3, at 7pm, there will be a Classical Evening at the Mozambique-China Cultural Center (CCMC).

The final concert is scheduled for May 4 at 11 a.m., also at the CCMC, with an interactive event called "Concerto para país e filhos" (Concert for parents and children), which aims to introduce the history of the repertoire, instruments and the composition of the groups performing, in this case the Xiquitsi Orchestra and Choir.

The first series, whose main focus will be the voice, with an emphasis on the choral group, includes a vast repertoire, from the Baroque period to the 20th century, performed by South African and Mozambican soloists, who will be joined by some students from the Xiquitsi project. Portuguese, English, French, German and Chngana will be some of the languages that the CCMC audience will hear on May 3 and 4.

The 2nd Series will feature the renowned Matosinhos String Quartet, a group visiting Mozambique for the first time and joining the Xiquitsi Orchestra to perform works by Mendelssohn, Vila - Lobos and Britten.

The 3rd Series, as has become customary, will dedicate a Christmas Concert, with sacred repertoire involving the two main ensembles of this Kulungwana project, as well as the students in training as part of the Cantate Project. It will end with the well-known and much-anticipated "New Year's Concert", in a true ode to Mozambican music and musicians, with José Mucavele and Ubakka already confirmed for this concert that brings together the world of classical music with Mozambican light music.

The 2024 Season kicks off after the pompous celebration of Xiquitsi's 10th anniversary in 2023, thus opening a new cycle for this social inclusion project through collective music teaching.

Xiquitsi's perspective is that in the new cycle that is opening up, more young Mozambicans will have access to quality education, increasingly boosting the project in particular and the country in general, so that it can contribute to the professionalization of the sector.

"Ten years on, Xiquitsi has former students training at various higher education institutions abroad, at least three of whom have already obtained their degree in music from the Lisbon School of Music.

Many others have contributed their knowledge to various educational institutions in the country. Therefore, and after such positive results, we are aware that we are on the right track, and we aspire to create the conditions so that we can soon certify our students," says Kulungwana's Executive Director, Henny Matos.

Xiquitsi's ambition is to take music teaching throughout the country and this is already happening through the Cantate project in the provinces of Nampula, Cabo Delgado and Niassa.

With its headquarters at the Scala Theatre in Maputo City, the project founded by Kika Materula recognizes that there is a great need for a larger space to better respond to daily demand.