b'Program Notescontinuedthese. Buskaids vocalists are all drawn from within the Ensemble and only one has received formal training as a singer. This simplicity of approach reflects the folk-like nature of this music, and adds a certain unsophisticated charm.The performances always differ, depending very much on who is leading, so there is a strong element of improvisation overlaying each performance. Pula tsa Lehlohonolo is a traditional African Christian hymn which can be heard throughout all the townships at churches, particularly on Sunday mornings. Buskaids Music School is built in the grounds of a Presbyterian Church, and the sounds of hearty singing, to the rhythmic accompaniment of banged Bibles and an African drum, waft through the windows of the School. All the congregants join in, and without any form of keyboard accompaniment, they harmonise naturally themselves. Its a moving and sometimes heartrending sound. The pennywhistle, or African flute, was the instrument most used in Kwela music and gave this style of township music its unique sound. Special Star, written and performed by the iconic South Africa pop-fusion band Mango Groove, features an instantly recognizable opening pennywhistle solo written as a dedication to the kwela artist Johannes Spokes Mashiyane, regarded as one of the greatest pennywhistlers to grace the South African kwela music scene between the 1950s and the 1970s. Mango Groove was one of only two multiracial bands in South Africa in the late 80s and early 90s (the other was Johnny Cleggs band, Jaluka) and together they led the way in the South African music scene towards establishing the Rainbow Nation that Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu had envisioned. In this performance, the Buskaid musicians play the famous opening pennywhistle notes on the violin. South African audiences to this day respond with huge enthusiasm when hearing this melody, no matter on which instrument it is played.Amavolovolo is a traditional Zulu song, now often performed at weddings. In the apartheid era it was a struggle song about the township of Kwamashu near Durban, at that time a hotbed of political violence. The song speaks of the fear felt by the police when they entered Kwamashu, although to the people living there it was considered a victory song. Amavolovolo is an example of the way in which music was often used to make fun of the Apartheid government. ~Rosemary Naldenprincetonsymphony.org/ 16'