Brass meets clap
Lucy Kgweetsi | Friday November 28, 2025 12:48
For years, these instruments have been carried to stages across Botswana, yet always as guests.
This time around, Majalefha will take the reins, hosting their first independent concert, Heavenly Harmonies, an overnight performance that promises to bridge generations of musical tradition. Heavenly Harmonies takes place on Friday, November 28, 2025.
In an interview with Arts & Culture band leader, pastor and a guiding force behind the ensemble, Reverend Emmanuel Piet Kgwefane explained that the movement is not new, brass music has existed in Apostolic tradition for generations. What they are trying to do is make it visible again, without changing its essence.
“ For the band, the concert is not only a showcase but also a practical response to long-standing challenges like securing uniforms and instruments for its largely young and community-based members,” he said.
Preparation has been rigorous. Rehearsals have stretched over five months, demanding focus and endurance from a band whose members are often balancing school, work, and personal responsibilities.
“Preparing for a concert you are hosting is very different from performing at one. It required planning, discipline, and coordination at a level we hadn’t had to manage before. Every note, every pause, every transition had to be considered carefully,” said Katso Kedule, the band’s Secretary General.
The concert’s programme reflects both ambition and a nod to tradition. Majalefha will perform alongside Dineo Tsa Tumelo, St Paul Mogoditshane Church Choir, Majenyana Brass Band, and Sedi La Dichaba Brass Band, groups recognised in their respective genres for years of contribution to Botswana’s music landscape.
Among the evening’s moments is a collaboration between a brass ensemble and a clap-and-tap choir, a pairing rarely attempted. “Clap and tap has its own following, while brass has its own following too. Bringing them together allows both traditions to speak in a shared space, without one dominating the other.” Added Kedule.
The concert also carries significance beyond performance. Many members are young, unemployed, or still studying. The event offers an opportunity for exposure to national institutions such as the BDF Band, Police Band, and Prisons Band. “If even one of our young members gains an opportunity through this concert, then all this effort will have been worth it,” Kedule said.
Funding, however, has been a consistent challenge. Kgwefane explained that attempts to attract sponsors yielded minimal results. “Many of our members are unemployed or still at school. Funding has been the biggest challenge. Without the support of our church circuit, it’s unlikely we could have reached this stage. But perseverance has carried us forward.” He said.
Looking beyond this single event, the band plans to make Heavenly Harmonies an annual fixture, with the second edition scheduled for November 2026. Smaller gatherings throughout the year may follow, providing ongoing performance opportunities and keeping brass music visible in Botswana’s musical landscape.
For Majalefha Brass Band, the concert is about more than fundraising or recognition; it is a reclamation of identity. “For years, we struggled with instruments, uniforms, and establishing who we are as a band. This concert is one way to address those gaps, define ourselves, and provide continuity for the next generation of musicians.” Kgwefane said.
As Friday night unfolds, the combined resonance of brass and clap-and-tap will fill the air. The sounds will carry not only notes and rhythms, but also decades of tradition, perseverance, and the quiet determination of a band intent on keeping Botswana’s musical heritage alive.