The band “MoZuluArt” was invited to the Mozart Week by classical music star Rolando Villazón. However, the appearance threatened to fail due to a bureaucratic hurdle.
“Somehow Rolando Villazón came across one of our CDs and was so impressed by our music that he invited us to this year’s Mozart Week,” says pianist Roland Guggenbichler. An honor for him and his “MoZuluArt” band colleagues. Musically, the four founding members represent the fusion of traditional Zulu sounds with classical music. Shortly before their performance at the Mozart Week, however, the musicians faced a huge problem that almost canceled the performance in Salzburg: singer Ramadu did not receive a visa to enter Austria! The performance almost canceled due to a lack of a visa. “I kept having it Engagements in the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. That’s why the Austrian authorities said I should apply for a visa at the German embassy,” says the singer, who comes from Zimbabwe. But Ramadu didn’t want to give up so quickly: “I managed to get the visa at the last minute, but it was really close,” he can now laugh about the bureaucratic hurdle. Band members didn’t see each other for four years. Now the band can , who will be accompanied by the Ambassade String Quartet during the Mozart Week, will once again concentrate fully on their music. In keeping with the motto of Mozart Week 2024, they have also reinterpreted a piece by the Italian composer and Mozart contemporary Antonio Salieri – a premiere in front of the Salzburg audience. But the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart also meets African acappella singing. It is the first time in four years that the band is back on stage with the original line-up. The pandemic put a stop to an earlier reunification. It’s not just this occasion that needs to be celebrated. The band’s 20th anniversary is also just around the corner.
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