Orchestra empowering township youth

January 27, 2012 | Filed underPopular News,Previous news | Posted by editor
Passion for music … Award-winning cellist Thapelo Masita has won prestigious competitions and has performed with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra as a soloist.
The Mangaung String Programme is an internationally acclaimed programme that has been changing lives and giving hope to young people in the province for the past 15 years.
The programme is directed by Peter Guy, a trained bass player from Montana in the USA, who founded the programme in 1997.
The programme focusses on children from historically disadvantaged backgrounds from the greater Bloemfontein area.
The aim of the project is to reach as many young people as possible, thus affording them the opportunity of developing their talents into a future skill through which they can support themselves.
There are currently over 400 pupils in the programme.
One of the flagship projects of the programme is the Bochabela String Orchestra (BSO). They were one of four orchestras that performed during Oprah Winfrey’s graduation ceremony at the University of the Free State last year.
This orchestra is made up of talented youngsters between12 and 23 years old.
The three other orchestras in the programme are the Bochabela Intermediate Orchestra, the Bochabela Junior Orchestra, and the Bochabela Beginner Orchestra.
In 2009, the project expanded to the rural Southern Free State. A senior instructor and three junior instructors do the four-hour return journey to the towns of Philippolis, Trompsburg, and Springfontein once a week. Currently, there are 80 pupils receiving tuition.
“We give them hope. If they do something positive and work hard, they get noticed. Music gives them a voice. A good example is the children in the Xhariep. Some of them can already play at weddings and funerals after only three months training,” said senior cello instructor Tilla Henkins.
The programme has received many noteworthy accolades. It has represented the country in numerous tours overseas and is constantly getting invitations to perform worldwide.
The BSO, along with Tsholofelo Sereeco, a former student who has been a viola instructor for four years, will head to Austria for a special performance in December.
In 2010, Bonolo Kgaile won the Sanlam Competition. She was the first African to win this prestigious competition for young musicians. The programme also won a cash prize for the best development programme.
Thapelo Masita, who plays the cello, won the string category with the Arts Cape Competition. He has performed as soloist with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
Six former pupils from the programme are now members of the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban.
Regomoditswe Thothela is co-principal double bass with the Johannesburg Philharmonic, while Ruan Baartman received a full scholarship to the prestigious Menuhin School in London.
The Bochabela String Orchestra has recorded an album of popular African and Classical favourites. In addition, it has recorded with the Violet Orchestra in Belgium.
A film crew from Austria is currently producing a documentary about the progamme for distribution in Europe.
Boitumelo Mookho Rankala and Sehle Mosole recently performed at the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival where they were chosen to learn more about their musical instruments. They will be flying to Los Angeles in February to study there for five months.
The programme plans on expanding even further this year and, with a record number of students, it is sure to keep on inspiring the community through music.
According to Guy, the students are taught to be ambassadors for music.
“These are the children who through the discipline, self-esteem, responsibility, and a sense of purpose manage to stay in school, stay off the dusty streets of Mangaung, and go on to be productive citizens and make healthy life choices.”
Nurturing young talent … Instructor Tsholofelo Sereeco, a former member of the orchestra, now tutors others.

City of Angels … Sehle Mosole and Boitumelo Mookho Rankala will be studying in Los Angeles from next month.
A rising star … Bonolo Kgaile won Sanlam’s competition for young musicians in 2010.
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