Nobuntu, a capella group to perform at College Baptist

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Nobuntu, a capella group to perform at College Baptist
The women of the Nobuntu choir from Zimbabwe perform. | Courtesy Press Image Nobuntu

Nobuntu, an a cappella group made up of women from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, will share their beautiful voices with the community Oct. 10 at College Baptist Church.

James Holleman, chair of the Hillsdale College Music Department, said the performance is part of the Professional Artist Series held by the Fine Arts Department.

“It’s very unique to our series,” Holleman said. “I try to bring in a variety of performers throughout the year, and this is going to connect to our choir program. It’s also got such an interesting cultural element to it, so I think a lot of people are going to connect to it in different ways.”

Holleman said the music of Nobuntu is a mix of “Afro Jazz” and traditional sounds with dance and basic percussion. He said they will be singing in different languages, including a few of their native local languages.

“The idea of music in their culture is not just performance, but it’s part of community, it’s part of worship, it’s part of education, it’s kind of this all encompassing thing,” Holleman said. “It’s going to be interesting for our students to see how that’s incorporated in their songs.”

The program will start at 7:30 p.m. and last about 90 minutes without an intermission. Admission is free and tickets can be reserved by call: 517-607-2848, or emailing boxoffice@hillsdale.edu. Tickets may also be reserved in person by stopping by the Fine Arts Building’s main office and speaking to Amy Glass, the administrative coordinator for the Fine Arts Building.

According to Glass, around 207 tickets have already been reserved for the event by students and community members alike. In addition to their performance Wednesday evening, Holleman said Nobuntu will host a master class Oct. 11 at Howard Music Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

“The master class is open to students,” Holleman said. “They’re mostly going to be interacting with our choir and teaching our choir some of the types of music they sing.”