Classical Music - Fresh Blood on the Stage

Some 23 young artistes held the Douala public spellbound over the week-end.

The rhythms of classical music, enchanting and powerful to transform souls, once beaten by popular Cameroonian chants were again taken to the public gallery. Young people of between 26 and 55 years of age, with passion for this musical genre, refreshed the minds of a leisure-hungry population at the Showroom of Tractafric Motors in Akwa, June 8.

To the adult spectator, the annual show event, Recital, recalled the good old days of the classical music artiste Jacques Greg. Some of the young singers, who revealed being cultural schizoids from birth, hailed his songs for their classical inspiration, having now abandoned their abhorrence for the conventional style. They sang with trained voices, and their display was a characteristic thrilling satisfaction that left spectators gazing ceaselessly. In addition, 'Ensemble Vocal Cantemus', a local group of about 30 choristers with a strongly varied musical genre: classical, popular, sacred or gospel spiced the show with rare amusements.

Recital is organized by Cantemus du Diapason, which detected the 23 talented young artistes and singers, including Elisabeth Ngo Moussous, Christian Abegan, Papageno Kollo, Nathalie Makon, Monique Etoga, and Marguerite Pany. "Through Recital we want to vulgarize classical music among Cameroonians," Marta Wilqosz, Organising Director of Cantemus. The philosophy is based on the fact that practicing music develops concentration in children and adolescents and helps foster their performance in school, as well as it is an available job opportunity to the students after graduation. It is a means by which the young practicers keep from health dangers, like drugs abuse and alcoholism which normally come with idleness and joblessness. The purpose is to give participants the divine and esthetic value of classical music and develop concentration, while presenting them as positive role models. It is hoped that they will become future grand artistes.