The Music at the festival is specially prepared and produced for Sanga Yoga Festival by Johann Kotze, the Festival Music Director. Johann has been a professional musician/producer and yoga teacher since 1990. He produces music under the label Being Ambient Music and he creates calm and clear, conscious spaces for massage, meditation, deep sleep and relaxation, or easy listening. Being Ambient Lounge crosses over into Chill Lounge, Chill House and Ambient Afro-Lounge. Both genres are ideal for use as soundtracks.

All the music played during the festival will be available to purchase, including a special compilation Festival CD, of relaxation and chill-out music plus a specially produced album of Yoga Sanga Music, that includes all the artist that performed at the main music events happening on 14-16 December 2013. Listen to some free music tracks.

Special International Music CD: Music/songs have been donated specially for the festival by renowned international artist & musicians. A rare opportunity to have such a mix of gifted musicians on one CD. See who have donated.

Music Events

The Yoga Sanga Festival will be lined and padded out with the bliss of music. Saturday evening is live world music, unplugged style, by well-known musicians like Steve Newman and some new talent. See the prelim line-up below!

Sunday evening is dedicated to classical Indian music (harmonium & tabla) by some of Cape Town's best musicians followed by a group kirtan session.

On Monday, Reconsilliation Day, Desert Rose will perform at the clsoing ceremony.

Desert Rose

Steve Newman is one of South Africa’s most accomplished acoustic guitarist who has achieved unrivaled success as a soloist over the past three decades as well as being an integral part of various collaborations with fellow South African musicians. He has written a history for himself that very few can equal. Besides being a gifted musicians, he is also yoga practitioner for many years!

A consummate instrumentalist, he has traversed the globe with his mesmerizing talent, both as a soloist as well as with the bands Tananas, the , In the Clouds, Mondetta, and a duo with Tony Cox. Tananas has played festivals & concerts in Australia, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, France, Sweden, UK, Spain, Canary Islands, USA, Mozambique, Namibia & Zimbabwe. As a soloist he has played UK, Holland, Belgium, India, UK, Norway, Mozambique & Namibia.

In fact, his persona is as gentle and understated as a meditating monk, evident in moments of his delicate technique. His skill, however, reaches the furthest corners of the universe, embodying a somewhat deity-like influence over all who strum a guitar in South Africa. Somewhere between the earth and the stars this South African music artist will captivate you, from the moment you’ve read the song titles.

Johann Kotze started Being Ambient Music in 2008 with his first acoustic-electronica album. After some 15 years as a record producer, label owner and musician he left the industry to concentrate on a career of only yoga and well-being. “I have been teaching yoga since 1990, it feels like it has always been a part of my life”. Combining music and yoga opportunities for 20 years in Stellenbosch, near Cape Town, Johann moved to Muizenberg, on the edge of Cape Town city. Here his home yoga studio and music studio overlooks False Bay and the beach. “I run across the road for a paddle whenever I can, even if I can go to the beach or surf for only 20 minutes I go for it”.

Creating music outside of the mainstream industry. This includes niche markets such as music for yoga studios and other well-being related projects, popular mobile networks and personalized soundtracks for corporate use i.e. presentation jingles etc. Johann's music will be played during the festival and he is producing some special limited Festival CD's. He is the Musical Producer for the festival.

The Country Conquerors is an Afrikaans reggae band based in Heuwelkroon, an area located between Greyton and Genadendal. They are a local band where the festival is taking place

Their distinctive brand of reggae is a syncretic fusion of classic seventies “one-drop” style with a more frenetic, jaggedy rhythm that is native to the Western Cape. This goema flavour gives their reggae a charming, genuine quality that is completely their own. The band is a six piece, comprising drums, electric bass, electric guitar, keyboards and two vocalists.

From a musicological perspective this already is good enough reason to record their catalogue of compositions but the interest is exacerbated when one realizes that they are the only Afrikaans medium reggae band in the country. Unlike most reggae bands who always sing in English, the Country Conquerors have retained their mother tongue (Afrikaans) for their songs and therefore they provide a unique example of how music styles and languages cross-pollinate deep into the countryside.

Vijaya Gianpersad developed a keen interest in music while at school and studied English music for three years. Born and raised in KZN and relocated to Cape Town in 2008. Started studying Hindustani Classical Music, North Indian style under Sri Lutchman Ganpath in 1982.

Vijaya is an active member of the Ananda Kutir Ashram in Rondebosch, where he currently tutor several keen students. He also assisted in the production and recording of 3 audio CD's for the Ashram.