The annual The East London Wind Orchestra (ELWO) Course runs during the September/October school holidays. The course is aimed at all wind, percussion and string bass instrumentalists from grade 4 and up.  The course was started by husband and wife team Wesley and Lisa Wong.  Their aim is to give the young musicians of East London an opportunity to experience and learn about wind orchestra music! Having both grown up playing in wind bands, this team shares a passion for this genre of music and strive to promote it when and where ever possible. Both are now employed as music teachers in East London and established the ELWO course to create a merger between education and music making in a young and exciting genre of music!

 

How does it work?

Musicians apply and then audition for a place in the course each year. The best instrumentalists are selected and these players make up the orchestra. The orchestra then spends the duration of the course preparing for a concert which takes place on the last day of the course. During preparation, the orchestra members receive tutelage from talented young musicians and music educators, most of whom have once or currently form part of the South African National Youth Orchestra. These tutors come from all across South Africa and have much experience in Symphony Orchestras and Wind Bands. Here the members learn more about playing their instrument,  music at university, the expectations of professional musicians, what life is like in a professional orchestra and much more. Many ELWO band members have gone on to be selected for the South African National Youth Orchestra and some have been inspired enough to pursue careers in music. At the end of the course every single musician leaves with more experience and knowledge in music, particularly Wind Band music, as well as many new and lasting friendships.