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UFS publisher receives feather in her literary cap

20 February 2023 | Story Gerda-Marié van Rooyen | Photo Supplied

Nthabiseng (JahRose) Jafta, a Publishing Coordinator at African Languages Press in the Library and Information Services at the University of the Free State (UFS), recently received the Silver Medal Award and other accolades at the Eurasian Literary Festival held in Egypt. Jafta, an MA scholar (Creative Writing) at Rhodes University, describes herself as an international performing poet, artpreneur, teacher, festival curator, content developer, and creative strategist born in the Free State.

Being an introvert, she says her love for writing gives her a voice. “I can echo my thoughts and colour my grey sky,” she explains poetically. She feels writing is as natural to her as breathing. She is comfortable writing anywhere and anytime. “There’s no physical area needed. We type on WhatsApp in the taxi. We catch brainwaves whenever they appear.” Jafta's creative juices seem to be overflowing, as she confessed to even getting an idea while contemplating her love for writing. “Life throws you prompts from all spheres, but you have to be present to recognise its call. And sometimes the piece decides if it wants to be happy, erotic, or sad.”

Her literacy cap serves Jafta's career as a publisher and her creative writing when time allows. “I read and write. Publish what I read or write. I also happen to recite, read, and sing what I write. It’s all in alignment.” This Deputy President of the National Writers Association of South Africa and founder of the Poetic Blues Virtual Festival writes in her mother tongue, Sesotho, and English. She also has additional experience in the poetry industry, as she was previously the Curator of the Macufe Poetry Festival. She also attended the International Writing Centre at Beijing Normal University part time. Her poems have also been translated into Mandarin and published in Chinese literary magazines.

Jafta says besides the growing catalogue of more than 40 publications, she also has an upcoming multilingual poetry compilation featuring Spanish, Danish, Mandarin, Arabic, KiSwahili, IsiZulu, and Sesotho translations from English. This poet believes poetry is a gift that feeds lyrics to melodies. “And that song carries us to humanity's highs and lows. Prose is how we navigate that gift daily. They are rainbows on melting clouds, events plants rejoice on their rhythmic drops.”

News Archive

The King’s Singers: British double Grammy winners hosted by OSM

2017-01-24

The King’s Singers regularly tour in Europe, North and
South America, Asia and Australasia. The group will be
performing in Bloemfontein on 14 February 2017.
Photo: Andy Staples

The King’s Singers, the acclaimed British a cappella vocal ensemble, are coming to Bloemfontein, hosted by the Odeion School of Music at the University of the Free State, for an unmissable performance.

Concertgoers from Bloemfontein and surrounding areas have the opportunity to experience this extraordinary vocal ensemble at the Dutch Reformed Church Universitas at a concert sponsored by the Arts Trust.

Named after King’s College in Cambridge, the group was formed in 1965, and for the past 48 years, their work, synonymous with the very best in vocal ensemble performance, appeals to a vast international audience.

The ensemble has performed for hundreds of thousands of people each season, and regularly tours Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australasia. Instantly recognisable for their immaculate intonation, vocal blend, diction and incisive timing, the King’s Singers are consummate entertainers.

The group’s repertoire has evolved to become one of the most diverse and compelling imaginable. They have commissioned more than 200 works, including landmark pieces from leading contemporary composers including Luciano Berio, György Ligeti, Sir James MacMillan, Krzysztof Penderecki, Toru Takemitsu, Sir John Tavener, Gabriela Lena Frank and Eric Whitacre. They have also commissioned arrangements of everything from jazz standards to pop chart hits, explored medieval motets and Renaissance madrigals, and encouraged young composers to write new scores.

In addition to performing to capacity audiences and creating highly regarded and much-loved recordings, the King’s Singers share their artistry at numerous workshops and masterclasses around the world.

Double Grammy award-winning artists, the group were honoured in 2009 for their Signum Classics release, Simple Gifts, and again in 2012 for their contribution to Eric Whitacre’s Light and Gold album. Recently voted into Gramophone Hall of Fame, rave reviews and repeated sell-out concerts confirm that the King’s Singers are one of the world’s finest vocal ensembles.

Watch videos of the The King’s Singers:
The King's Singers - Overture The Barber Of Seville
2016 Pioneer Day Concert with The King's Singers - Primary Medley
A Christmas Songbook by The King's Singers

Date: 14 February 2017
Time: 19:30
Place: Dutch Reformed Church Universitas, Bloemfontein
Cost: R295 per person | R268 per person for group bookings of 10+

Tickets for the concert are available at Computicket outlets (Checkers, Shoprite shops), at the door, or online.

For inquiries or more information, contact Ninette Pretorius at +27 51 401 2504.

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