The Youth Orchestras of Namibia (Yona) will mark ten years of music education and youth empowerment with a special anniversary concert at the Dutch Reformed Church’s Moedergemeente in Windhoek on Saturday.
Founded in 2016 to address a shortage of qualified music teachers and limited access to orchestral training, the non-profit initiative has grown from 25 pioneer students with a handful of instruments to a programme serving more than 250 young musicians.
Over the past decade, Yona’s curriculum has expanded to cover a wide array of instruments, including string, woodwind, brass and keyboard sections.
The initiative currently operates across three sites in the capital: its main centre in Windhoek West, recorder classes at the Katutura Reading Room run in partnership with the City of Windhoek, and wind band classes hosted with the Deutsche Höhere Privatschule (DHPS) Windhoek.
The celebration begins with a pre-concert photo exhibition, a video screening documenting the project’s social impact, and a silent auction featuring Yona memorabilia.
The musical programme features string ensembles, wind bands and a full symphony orchestra alongside a choir.
Highlighting the first half of the concert is Max Bruch’s Romanze for Viola Opus 84, featuring guest soloist Eike Coetzee. The second half will mark the debut performance of veteran singer Patricia Ochurus alongside the Yona orchestra, accompanied by additional selections spanning classical, jazz and pop genres.
The event takes place at 19h00 on Saturday at the Dutch Reformed Church on the corner of Judge JP Karuaihe Street and Daniel Munamava Street.
