Regina Mundi Church To Stage US University Orchestra Performance

The University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra is set to commence a tour in South Africa starting Wednesday, May 21, 2025. On Friday evening, the orchestra will deliver an unmissable performance at the Regina Mundi Church in Soweto.

This marks the orchestra’s inaugural tour, featuring performances in Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, concluding on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. The tour will provide South Africans with the opportunity to experience a local soprano who is gaining recognition in the United States. Goitsemang Lehobye, hailing from the Garankuwa township in Pretoria, is a South African opera singer based in the US, celebrated for her powerful and emotive performances.

In 2024, she received her Doctorate in Voice Performance degree, performed at the Finnish National Opera, and made her debut at Carnegie Hall, solidifying her status as an emerging talent in the opera scene. A graduate of both the University of Michigan and the University of Cape Town, Lehobye has made a name for herself as a distinguished soprano with a diverse repertoire that includes both classical and contemporary works from Western and Pan-African traditions. Her operatic career began with the South African Black Tie Ensemble’s ‘Incubator’ Scheme. Beyond her performances, Lehobye is a dedicated advocate for arts education and the promotion of diversity within the classical music sector.

“Goitsemang serves as the bridge for this tour. The South African vocalist is returning home to perform alongside an exceptional lineup of soloists, including her voice instructor from UMSO (Daniel Washington).

Having collaborated with Classical Movements previously, Goitsemang is uniquely equipped to engage with our South African audiences and inspire them to attend these extraordinary concerts, featuring this specially curated programme,” stated Joanne Hayes, the tour’s communications officer.

For over three decades, Classical Movements has been facilitating musical groups and tours to South Africa. The Regina Mundi Church and the Morris Isaacson School of Music in Soweto have consistently served as key venues for these tours, as local audiences demonstrate a strong appreciation for the diverse programs and educational exchanges that are integral to each tour.

The 2023 tour showcased the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra under the direction of esteemed conductor Benjamin Zander. In addition to performances, the University of Michigan Orchestra tour will incorporate an outreach and exchange initiative, allowing orchestra musicians to collaborate with university and high school students, as well as local musicians from Cape Town ensembles.

In Pretoria, they will work with music students from the University of Pretoria (UP) on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. In Soweto, they will partner with students from the Morris Isaacson Centre for Music on Saturday, May 24, 2025, and in Cape Town, they will engage with various local music ensembles at the Athlone School for the Blind on Wednesday May 28, 2025.

The University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra has been honoured with a GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Album in 2005 for William Bolcom’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Conductor Kenneth Kiesler, who has been at the helm since 2005, is a GRAMMY nominee and recipient of the 2024 American Prize National Arts Award.

Alongside Lehobye, the tour will feature two additional guest artists.

Karen Slack, a recipient of the 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, boasts a vibrant career that encompasses performance, curation, and advocacy.

Her debut album, Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs of Florence Price (Azica Records), earned her the 2025 GRAMMY® for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. Daniel A. Washington, a distinguished bass-baritone and tenured Professor of Music at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, & Dance, also served as an Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town.

To purchase tickets for the Regina Mundi concert and other venues, visit https://www.quicket.co.za/events/299513-university-of-michigan-symphony-orchestra-soweto-regina-mundi-church#/