Championships 2009 Newsletter

Field bands dazzle at national champs

They came, they played, they charmed and they triumphed during the Field Band Foundation National Championships. More than 2 000 youngsters set the Johannesburg Athletics Stadium alight with music and dance on Saturday, 3 October 2009.

Competition was fierce as nine bands battled it out for the honour of being named the top field band in the country. The judges had a tough time singling out a winning outfit among the stellar array of young talent on display, but ultimately the top accolade went to the De Beers PPC Kimberley
Field Band, in 2nd Mdantsane Field Band from East London and in 3rd place the PG Bison Buccaneers Field Band from Durban

The various field bands from around the country delivered some knockout performances in a variety of musical genres before the Foundation's national band reprised their smash hit performance at this year's SA Tattoo. The crowd at the stadium went wild, clearly blown away by this display of
exciting young South African musical and dance talent that has been making waves locally and abroad.
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Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile delivered the opening address at Saturday's national championships, and lavished praise on the FBF for its constructive and positive role in uplifting the youth through music and dance. Also speaking at the event, De Beers Consolidated Mines MD
David Noko noted "the work that the FBF undertakes in life skills and HIV/AIDS awareness training in disadvantaged areas of the country:

"It is precisely because we are careful about what we socially invest in and precisely because we choose to be a partner only of that which has greatest positive effect, that we walk alongside the Field Band Foundation".

The various field bands that took part were: Soweto Field Band, De Beers Musina Field Band, De Beers Cullinan Field Band, Cape Whalers Field Band, Stocks Anglo Field Band, De Beers Black Like Me Northern Cape Field Band,
PG Bison Buccaneers Field Band, Mdantsane Field Band, and De Beers PPC Kimberley Field Band.

Championship Special Edition

Mavus Sikhopelo joined the FBF in 2001 when he was 13 years old. We first became aware of how special he was at a workshop in Kimberley in 2004. He speaks extremely well and was used extensively in the De Beers video which was made in 2006. However Mavus had a slight problem as his teeth did not really grow properly and although healthy were not spread evenly and this was a real impediment to him. We approached a dentist, Dr Coenie Smit, in Kimberley (with the help of Super Stone Mining) and he did all the work on Mavus' teeth for free. This was a long two year project and was completed in Norway where Mavus has spent a year. He has just returned and we have appointed him as the new Band Coordinator in Blouberg. With his natural leadership we see a great future for him in the FBF where he wants to make his life. The FBF Learning Academy - We Need YOU! We've begun a long-awaited project that will bridge the gap for our young people who are ageing out of the program and who need opportunities to improve their skills so they can build careers in arts management and other professional areas. Please consider making a special donation to support this amazing new FBF project! Download the overview here! (10 mb file) Donate online through our secure servers using any credit card. It's fast, safe and easy to do. International Donors American Donors Donate SAA Miles If you have South Africa Airways miles, we can use them to reduce our own transport costs which means more money goes to directly support the youth. To donate, contact us at ceo@fieldband.org.za Buy AMAZON! Remember - if you make orders from Amazon.com, use this link and 4-5% of your purchase is donated directly to the FBF! Copy and pase this into your browser - then book mark it for later: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/fielbandfoun-20 Follow us on Face Book		Field bands dazzle at national champs They came, they played, they charmed and they triumphed during the Field Band Foundation National Championships. More than 2 000 youngsters set the Johannesburg Athletics Stadium alight with music and dance on Saturday, 3 October 2009. Competition was fierce as nine bands battled it out for the honour of being named the top field band in the country. The judges had a tough time singling out a winning outfit among the stellar array of young talent on display, but ultimately the top accolade went to the De Beers PPC Kimberley Field Band, in 2nd Mdantsane Field Band from East London and in 3rd place the PG Bison Buccaneers Field Band from Durban The various field bands from around the country delivered some knockout performances in a variety of musical genres before the Foundation's national band reprised their smash hit performance at this year's SA Tattoo. The crowd at the stadium went wild, clearly blown away by this display of exciting young South African musical and dance talent that has been making waves locally and abroad. Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile delivered the opening address at Saturday's national championships, and lavished praise on the FBF for its constructive and positive role in uplifting the youth through music and dance. Also speaking at the event, De Beers Consolidated Mines MD David Noko noted "the work that the FBF undertakes in life skills and HIV/AIDS awareness training in disadvantaged areas of the country: "It is precisely because we are careful about what we socially invest in and precisely because we choose to be a partner only of that which has greatest positive effect, that we walk alongside the Field Band Foundation". The various field bands that took part were: Soweto Field Band, De Beers Musina Field Band, De Beers Cullinan Field Band, Cape Whalers Field Band, Stocks Anglo Field Band, De Beers Black Like Me Northern Cape Field Band, PG Bison Buccaneers Field Band, Mdantsane Field Band, and De Beers PPC Kimberley Field Band.
Visit us online at www.fieldband.org.za Contact us: In South Africa ceo@fieldband.org.za in the USA scott.morgan@fieldband.org.za