A paean to the human spirit and celebration of the transforming power of music, ‘Kinshasa Symphony' follows the lives of the Congolese orchestra's members as they prepare for their biggest, most challenging concert featuring the works of classical composers such as Verdi, Handel and Beethoven.Against the background of decaying buildings, litter-strewn, unpaved roads and sporadic electrical power supply, the orchestra and choir rehearse compositions from another world that nevertheless speaks to them in the universal language of music.The challenges facing the orchestra members individually and collectively are enormous but never paralysing they merely spur innovation. Orchestra manager Albert Nlandu Matubanza explains that during “the time of plundering” a lot of instruments were stolen, so he learned to make new ones himself. He sacrificed his own double bass, dismantling it so he could learn how it was put together, and selected native wood from timber merchants to make another. Conductor Armand Diangienda explains how at the beginning they had 12 youngsters wanting to play the violin, but only five instruments, so each played a violin for 20 minutes before passing it on to someone else. The wheel rim of a small bus stood in for a bell in ‘D'.The orchestra was formed when Diangienda, who trained as a pilot, lost his job, and for other members of the ensemble it is a lifeline. Soprano Mireille Kinkina explains the reward for expending so much energy on classical music when daily life is such a struggle. “When I sing Beethoven, the Ninth Symphony,” she declares, “it takes me far away. I'm not here any more. …I'm in a different world.”Though of varying economic status, the choir and orchestra members are equally dedicated. As Diangienda explains, “Singing is like praying twice over.”Matching the uplifting tales of the individuals is the music they choose to perform: ‘The Ode to Joy', from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony; Ravel's ‘Boléro', ‘The Prisoners' Chorus' from Verdi's ‘Nabucco' and ‘O Fortuna' from Carl Orff's ‘Carmina Burana'.The cinematography is straightforward, a matter-of-fact depiction of life, though sequences juxtaposing an orchestra member against the background of a busy street scene emphasise the idea that when playing an instrument one can be in the world but not of it. The interweaving of the various stories is cleverly edited.This uplifting film left me echoing sentiments expressed after the concert: “That was so beautiful. I never expected it to be so exciting.”