The Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Plays Regina Mundi Church

by Daluxolo Moloantoa · June 12, 2023

Named “Best Classical Music Ensemble” by Boston Magazine in 2019, the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO) is coming to South Africa this June. The acclaimed classical music orchestra will be staging musical performances in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town and in Makhanda during the tour between June 17-25.

Now in its eleventh season, the tuition-free orchestra has garnered critical acclaim for its superb and memorable performances in Boston, at Carnegie Hall, and on seven international tours. The 106 members of the BPYO range in age from 12 to 21 and are chosen through a highly-selective audition process.

The group will kick off its maiden South African tour with a performance at the Regina Mundi Church in Soweto on June 17. The Southern Cross features writer Daluxolo Moloantoa had Question & Answer sessions with four Catholic members of the ensemble on their expectations for their first musical tour to South Africa and the significance of performing at the historic Regina Mundi Church. This is the first of a four-part series:

First up, Daluxolo interviews Thomas Juhasz, an oboist in the BPYO.

Q: Which parish do you attend church in your city?

A: I attend Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Parish in Newton, Massachusetts (MA).

Q: What are you looking forward to on the BPYO tour of South Africa this June?

A: I am most excited to immerse myself in the culture and to meet the locals of the country. I have never been to any country in Africa, so I excitedly await the opportunity to spend three weeks not only as a tourist in the country, but as a musical and cultural ambassador. I hope to be able to bond on a deeper level with the locals through our music-making, which, on previous tours, has been such an incredible way of connecting with others in the various countries we tour.

Q: What does it mean to you to be able to perform at a highly significant Catholic church, the Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto?

A: As a Catholic, being able to visit, let alone perform, at the historically-significant Regina Mundi Catholic Church is a tremendous privilege and will be a wonderful and moving experience. As I continue down my faith journey and strive to continue strengthening my character, I hope that performing Mahler’s Second Symphony in the Regina Mundi Catholic Church will send a profound message to all of our listeners.

The tension and release in the passages of the Symphony will call to mind the noble role the Regina Mundi Catholic Church played in its struggle against apartheid, while the final glorious Eb major chords of the orchestra and organ will reflect the peace and solitude that the Regina Mundi Catholic Church conveyed to so many people involved in this struggle. Playing in a church will allow me to deliver my music-making on a deeper level, evoking an even more profound sense of beauty.

Read interviews with Thomas Juhasz, Rosie Conway, Harold Rivas and Christopher Broyles