By Anoka Latchmiah and Luvuyo Mjekula
Up-and-coming Makhanda violin and cello players got the opportunity of a lifetime last week – they rubbed shoulders with their internationally renowned idols – the Soweto String Quartet (SSQ) – at the Joza Youth Hub (JYH).
All four members of the award-winning band – Sandile Khemese, Thami Khemese, Makhosini Mnguni and Themba Mashobane – were at the JYH on Friday, playing and workshopping the group of learners from local schools.
The band worked in collaboration with Access Music Project (AMP).
Invested in the transformative power of music, AMP is a music education centre serving children at the historically disadvantaged schools in Makhanda (Grahamstown). Established in 2011, it is currently the only means by which musically talented youth in these schools have access to formal music studies, says the AMP’s Bridget Harrison.
Harrison explained says rather than duplicating efforts separately in each individual school, the success of the programme lies in having a pool of human expertise and physical resources that serves multiple schools, in order to create a high quality, diverse and exciting music programme. “We teach practical music, ensembleship, music literacy, music theory, general music knowledge and sound technology to provide learners with a solid foundation and formal certificates that enable access to further music study and career pathways. Our interconnected model runs from primary school through to post-school level.”
Harrison says while the South African formal music education system is still heavily centred on the schools of Western Art Music and Jazz, AMP is developing high quality and unique pedagogical materials inclusive of content relevant to young South Africans, and relevant to the demands and standards of current professional industry practice.
She further explains that Themba Mashobane, one of the members of SSQ, lives in Makhanda and teaches at St Andrew’s College. He has been teaching cello at AMP since 2023 in a part time capacity and now has eight students enrolled to take cello lessons. Ilana Chirombo teaches violin at AMP with 14 current students.
The AMP String Ensemble was launched in 2024 under the guidance of Mashobane, with the support of Chirombo. Rehearsals are held at St Andrew’s College on a weekly basis and act as an opportunity to develop skills confidence amongst the AMP string learners.
Harrison says Mashobane was instrumental in brining SSQ to Makhanda and always had the vision to engage with the learners in the community. “AMP had no hesitation in getting behind this idea and was delighted to host a workshop of AMP string learners and SSQ,” she said.
At the workshop on Friday, Gareth Walwyn, one of the founders of AMP, spoke to the significance of an instrument to its counterpart musician and how interconnected music is with the themes of freedom and responsibility. An artist has the freedom to express their emotions, thoughts and perspectives without constraints. Subsequently, an artist is responsible for what to do with their influence on individuals, said Walwyn.
Mashobane took some time and outlined the prolific history of the Soweto String Quartet. “SSQ has used their music as a medium to break boundaries and challenge societal norms, from their outfits to their style of music,” Mashobane said.
No black children played instruments such as violin at the time of SSQ’s conception, which, according to Mashobane, can be attributed to their success. They redefined the classical music genre and broadened South Africa’s horizons.
There was a palpable sense of joy emanating from the learners as time came to hear their idols perform. SSQ repeatedly played a piece and eventually asked the learners to join in. The students were tentative at first, leading the SSQ members to reignite the performance. Sandile Khemese, exuding passion, said, “You are the heartbeat of the song.” Slowly, the learners became comfortable and began playing in unison.
The workshop served as a profound reminder of the transformative power of music. It took place two days before SSQ performed at their highly anticipated concert at Settlers’ Monument in Makhanda on Sunday, 12 May.
