FRIENDS OF IZIKO SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM VISIT TO THE KIRBY COLLECTION AT THE SA COLLEGE OF MUSIC

The Friends have arranged a visit to the South African College of Music to view the Kirby Collection, which is a unique and irreplaceable collection showing the pre-urbanisation musical heritage of southern Africa.In the early 1930s, Professor Percival Kirby undertook a comprehensive study of the musical practices of the South African people and amassed an extensive and valuable collection of musical instruments through field trips and donations.
The collection comprises more than 600 musical instruments, the majority of which were used in southern Africa before 1934. It includes instruments made and played by all indigenous southern African groups. It also includes a smaller collection of instruments from Western Europe and Asia for comparative purposes.
The Friends are privileged to have an opportunity to see this collection, guided by Dr Rick Deja, curator of the Kirby Collection.