THE Funda Nenja Township Dog Training Initiative will benefit from a special concert featuring seven world-class performers.

On Friday, June 26 at 7.30 pm at the Church of the Ascension in Hilton, ‘Maritzburg pianist, Christopher Duigan, will be joined by Bronwen Forbay (soprano) and the American Lonestar Vocal Quartet — whose members are Jamie Van Eyck (mezzo-soprano), Randall Umstead (tenor), Christian Bester (baritone) and Kaju Lee (piano), Spanish saxophonist, David Salleras, and Joanna Frankel (violin), the concertmaster of the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra.

Forbay and the Lonestar Vocal Quartet, who are currently on a nationwide tour of South Africa, will sing Brahms’ Liebesliederwalzer and popular operetta by Franz Lehar and Johann Strauss.

Salleras and Duigan will play selections from their new album, Indigo, which includes Duigan’s original compositions for saxophone and piano.

Frankel will perform virtuoso violin solos by Saint-Saens and Elgar.

Tickets for the A Night to Remember are R150, which includes refreshments at interval, and fund raised will go to the Funda Nenja programme.

Every Friday afternoon, over a hundred Mpophomeni children and their dogs come together to learn and have fun.

At these sessions, Funda Nenja volunteers instil compassionate dog training methods, refer needy dogs to the uMngeni SPCA; and through the intervention of an Auxiliary Social Worker, shared with Ethembeni AIDS Ministry, children in difficult circumstances are counselled and supported.

Tickets can be bought from the Church of the Ascension at 033 343 3012, Music Revival at 033 342 3051 or via SMS at 083 417 4473.

There is secure parking off Brindy Road.

• For more information about Funda Nenja go to http://www.fundanenja.co.za