The second Durban edition of Classics on Turf will take place on 14 August at the Zimbali Capital Hotel & Spa, headlined by five-time Grammy Award winners Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert, which fuses classical music with sport and lifestyle elements, begins at 18:30 and is part of a three-year partnership with telecommunications company Telkom that also includes events in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The Durban programme follows a sold-out Johannesburg tribute concert dedicated to Tiyo Soga, which combined heritage, orchestral and choral works. Earlier on 14 August, golf enthusiasts can play at the Kloof Country Club before the evening performance.
“We are delighted to welcome lovers of golf to the pristine fairways and greens of the Kloof Country Club in the earlier part of the day before our music team stage a concert with one of South Africa’s most iconic groups, Ladysmith Black Mambazo at Zimbali Capital Hotel and Spa,” said Pumza Sobalisa, co-chief executive of Classics on Turf.
Sobalisa added that Telkom’s continued support will also allow the programme to conduct grassroots music development workshops during the week of the event.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo has a history of orchestral collaborations, including the 2004 album No Boundaries, recorded with the English Chamber Orchestra, which earned a Grammy nomination.
“My very first professional engagement as a conductor was with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and orchestra. It is truly an honour to go out on another play date with them 20 years later,” said Classics on Turf conductor and music curator Kutlwano Masote.
The wider partnership has featured artists including Judith Sephuma, Paul Hanmer and Msaki. The programme has also integrated technology into its performances. In 2025, attendees helped create an AI-generated jingle that was performed by the orchestra. Organisers said this year’s edition will further explore AI tools to enable interaction between audiences and a larger group of musicians.
