Latest news with #KiaraRamklass
News24
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News24
World record: 1 100 marimba players unite in Cape Town for largest ensemble
'It's impossible to feel sad when you play marimba.' Coordinator Kiara Ramklass said this was the joy that more than 1 100 young musicians set out to capture when they broke the Guinness World Record for the largest marimba ensemble. Ramklass added that the 1 177 young musicians from across South Africa and Zimbabwe came together in Cape Town to break the record after two years of planning. An official adjudicator from Guinness oversaw the event. Ramklass said every participating child would receive an official gold medal from Guinness World Records. 'It was really an amazing moment of unity for us to come together on Saturday and break this world record. The theme of the evening was 'united in harmony', and I think that spoke to the greater cause behind this world record. 'The marimba is present in almost every part of society, so we all came together to play this beautiful instrument, transcending socioeconomic barriers. I think it was just palpable, that feeling of unity and ubuntu,' she added. Ramklass described the marimba as a 'community instrument' that united people. 'You need the bass player, the tenor player, and the soprano player to make a full sound. The marimba is a community builder, and it was really beautiful for us to bring together the marimba community to achieve this beautiful record altogether.' Ramklass fell in love with the marimba at the age of 12. 'I also learned other musical instruments at school, like the flute and trombone. But the marimba was just this one instrument that I really just loved. Every Tuesday afternoon, I would wait for my marimba lesson,' she said. Ramklass continued: The marimba has got such a beautiful, warm sound that just makes me feel at peace, at ease. Just the way that you play this instrument, the physicality involved, is a way to de-stress. It was more than just an instrument; it was like I was a part of home. Inspired to share her love of marimba, Ramklass started Marimba Jam in 2012 as a Grade 11 pupil wanting to make an active change to address the inequality in music education in her community. Marimba Jam provides access to the psychological and social benefits that accompany the joy of playing in a marimba band. The project initially consisted of a week-long marimba workshop during the school holidays with 10 girls from Zimasa Secondary School in Langa, Cape Town, an under-resourced school. However, a decade later, Marimba Jams employed more than 20 part-time student teachers, who teach 500 pupils from 13 schools across the Western Cape. 'It was a small community project to share this love of marimba. And I then started teaching marimba bands at the university. It grew into a social enterprise, where we now teach over 500 learners weekly. We have a branch in Johannesburg now. And when our learners matriculate, they join what we call the Marimba Jam Academy, and now we train as professional teachers and marimba players in the industry,' Ramklass said. Supplied/ Marimba Jam She added that the marimba was an accessible instrument, because players did not need to know how to read music to play it. 'For many of the children we teach, it's their only way of experiencing the benefits of learning musical instruments at school. That includes learning teamwork and confidence, and cognitive development. In some communities, there are not many opportunities for these kids. Marimba gives them something to focus on, so they are not drawn into negative spaces. The broader impact is huge.'
UPI
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: 1,276 marimba players come together to break world record
Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Young musicians from across South Africa and Zimbabwe came together in Cape Town to break the Guinness World Record for the largest marimba ensemble, with 1,276 players. Marimba Jam, the group that organized the world record attempt to help promote music education, said 1,276 students played the percussion instruments together at Cape Town's Grand West Arena on Saturday. The event took the Guinness World Record from the Marimbas por Guate group in Guatemala, which assembled 505 people to play marimbas together in 2021. Marimba Jam previously attempted to break the record in 2018, but failed to meet Guinness World Records' evidence requirements. "We thought a Guinness World Record would be a way for us to take that same energy to a national level and bring together the whole of South Africa in unity to achieve a marimba world record, celebrating our motto, finding harmony in community," Marimba Jam CEO Kiara Ramklass told EWN Eyewitness News.
Eyewitness News
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Eyewitness News
Cape Town marimba players break world record for largest ensemble
READ: CT marimba players hope to break world record for largest ensemble The Marimba Jam group, which headed the event, attempted to break another record in 2018, but that win wasn't recognised due to resource constraints. CEO of Marimba Jam, Kiara Ramklass, said they hoped this event would highlight the importance of music education in schools. 'For many of the kids playing the marimba, this is their way of expressing themselves, a creative outlet at school, and we hope that more young people will be inspired to take up music at school because of all the amazing benefits it has,' said Ramklass. Ramklass said they wanted to make their win official this time around. 'We thought a Guinness World Record would be a way for us to take that same energy to a national level and bring together the whole of South Africa in unity to achieve a marimba world record, celebrating our motto, finding harmony in community,' Ramklass added.
Eyewitness News
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Eyewitness News
CT marimba players hope to break world record for largest ensemble
CAPE TOWN - On Saturday afternoon, over 1,000 marimba players will take the stage in attempts to break the world record for the largest marimba ensemble. The event will take place in Cape Town at the Grand West arena, where performers of all ages from all over the country will perform musical items. The current record is held by Guatemala, sitting at 505 players. The Marimba Jam group, who is heading the event attempted to break another record in 2018, but the win wasn't recognised due to resource constraints. CEO of Marimba Jam Kiara Ramklass says they hope this event highlights the importance of music education in schools. 'For many of the kids playing the marimba, this is their way of expressing themselves, a creative outlet at school and we hope that more young people will be inspired to take up music at school because of all the amazing benefits it has.' said Ramklass. Ramklass said they want to make their win official this time around 'We thought a Guinness world record would be a way for us to take that same energy to a national level and bring together the whole of south Africa in unity to achieve a marimba world record, celebrating our moto, finding harmony in community.' Ramklass added.
IOL News
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
South Africa and Zimbabwe unite for a Guinness World Record attempt with 1,000 marimba players
A Guiness World Record will be attempted on Saturday at Grandwest when 1000 marimba players will gather to improve the record currently held by Guatemala with 505 marimba plyayers Image: Supplied In a remarkable celebration of unity and rhythm, more than 1,000 marimba players from South Africa and Zimbabwe will converge at the GrandWest Grand Arena on Saturday, 2 August 2025, aiming to secure a Guinness World Records™ title for the Largest Marimba Ensemble in the World. The event, themed "United in Harmony", promises to be a spectacular demonstration of cultural richness and youthful spirit as it seeks to surpass Guatemala's existing record of 505 players. The visionary behind this ambitious initiative is Kiara Ramklass, the founder of Marimba Jam. Over the past decade, she has dedicated her efforts to introducing marimba music to schools throughout South Africa, igniting a passion for this vibrant art form. "South African marimbas are tuned in C major – it's almost impossible to feel sad when you hear them. They create this magical, happy energy. That's what we're sharing with the world on the 2nd of August," said Kiara, recalling the moment she fell in love with the marimba 18 years ago during her school days. The anticipated ensemble will bring together talented musicians aged between 8 and 62, representing over 70 schools and institutions from all provinces of South Africa, alongside two schools from Zimbabwe. Some marimba bands are travelling considerable distances, with one team from KwaZulu-Natal flying in just after their matric dance, while others are loading their instruments onto trucks from Durban and Johannesburg to partake in this history-making event. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ This is not Marimba Jam's first attempt to break a world record. Back in 2018, they gathered 241 girls on Women's Day in a bid to unofficially surpass Australia's previous tally. However, due to resource constraints, they could not secure the official recognition from Guinness World Records. Now, with the support of international oversight and an adjudicator flying in from London, their dream is within reach. "This event is more than just breaking a record," Kiara said. "It's about showcasing what's possible when we unite across socio-economic divides – private schools, township schools, rural schools – all on one stage. It's a loud, joyful message of ubuntu." The ensemble plans to perform a captivating ten-minute medley featuring culturally significant anthems 'Waka Waka' and 'Jerusalema', embodying South Africa's spirit of pride and unity. These beloved songs carry a rich cultural history that resonates with themes of togetherness and resilience, further enriching the event's purpose. The public is invited to join this once-in-a-lifetime celebration. Tickets are available for purchase through Quicket, with doors opening at 4pm and the record attempt scheduled for 5.30pm. The event will culminate in a celebratory concert featuring local South African artists, alongside a plethora of engaging activities including live performances, marimba demonstrations, djembe drumming workshops, art installations, photo booths, and virtual reality experiences. As participants gather to attempt a world record, each will receive an official Guinness World Records™ medallion in recognition of their contribution to this historic moment. Join the excitement leading up to this monumental occasion using the hashtag #BiggestJam2025. For further information, please visit
