Royal Crusader Christmas Band to Tour Bavaria and Upper Austria | Western Cape Government

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Royal Crusader Christmas Band to Tour Bavaria and Upper Austria

23 April 2012

Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape Provincial Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, will this evening bid bon voyage to the Royal Crusaders Christmas Band on the eve of their tour to Bavaria and Upper Austria. The tour, which takes place within the context of the cultural exchange programme that exists between the Western Cape-Bavaria and Western Cape-Upper Austria, will see the Royal Crusaders performing in Bad Kissingen, Fürstenfeldbruck, Linz, Kirchdorf and Haslach.

The Royal Crusaders Christmas Band has been in existence for half a century. The band was formed in April 1959, making it one of the oldest community organsations in Bellville South.

During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Christmas Band also took part in the Bavaria meets the Western Cape initiative held on the Piazza at Artscape. The band also made history when it became the first Christmas Band to be invited to participate in a service at St George's Catherdral in Cape Town during Christmas services in 2010.

In 2010, Levi Alexander, the conductor and director of the Royal Crusaders Christmas Band (then 19), competed in the Artscape National Youth Music Competition, playing the baritone saxophone. Levi is still studying at the South African College of Music (UCT). While attending the Settlers High School, he started saxophone tuition with Ms Arisa Voges at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre in 2007 and passed his Trinity Grade 8 exam with distinction, achieving 95% in 2009. Levi has toured in Turkey and the United Kingdom with the Settlers Recorder Orchestra, Germany with The Settlers Jazz Band, and Austria and Germany with the Hugo Lambrechts Chamber Players to the Megaherts Festival in Linz in Upper Austria. He performed in the Miagi Music Festival Big Band, South African National Youth Orchestra and the South African National Schools Big Band, and is currently the baritone saxophonist of the Cape Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensemble and Orchestra. Levi's participated in the Artscape Youth Jazz Festival 2008 and performed in The Settlers Jazz Combo. He participated in the Artscape National Youth Music Competition 2009 and was one of the finalists in the Gala Concert.

The Royal Crusaders Christmas Band is very involved in local Cape Town community music programmes. Levi often arranges traditional Cape music for various ensembles that he participates in, like the Ghoema and Kwela songs he arranged for the Hugo Lambrechts Chamber Players in a recent tour to Germany and Austria.

During its visit to München, the Royal Crusaders will be joined by Stellenbosch group, Zamar, where both will present a special concert in aid of the Jan Kriel School in Bellville and the Kinderschutzbund, a child protection organisation in Bavaria.

Media Enquiries: 

Daniel Johnson
Tel: 021 483 9514
Cell: 079 990 4231
E-mail: Daniel.Johnson@pgwc.gov.za