| Description |
1 online resource (streaming video file) (27 min. 57 sec.) ; 169109341 bytes |
| Summary |
In a hall in a dusty church yard in Soweto, children - many of whom have never even heard classical music - wait patiently for their chance to pick up a violin for the first time and demonstrate their natural aptitude for music. Their gift. They yearn to be a part of the Buskaid music project which has transformed the lives of young people in South Africa's most famous black township. Acclaimed British musician Rosemary Nalden started this remarkable program by chance. One morning at home in 1991, she heard a radio story about a struggling string ensemble in South Africa. In response, she and her colleagues busked at train stations across the UK, raising thousands of dollars. That became the seed for a grass roots music project and saw Rosemary travel from Britain to South Africa to ultimately establish Buskaid."Somebody, somewhere up there, decided that I was going to be the recipient of this huge gift really, and I know I moan and groan and complain, but actually I am so fortunate that this happened, and it happened in a flash. It's just an abundance of riches really." Rosemary Nalden - Director, Buskaid.The Buskaid project taps into the deep and natural musical talents and traditions of Soweto, where many children can sing in harmony even before they can read and write."We're in one tiny corner of Soweto, we're in a suburb and we've got this little, tiny catchment of children coming in, and amongst those children the majority are talented." Rosemary Nalden - Director, Buskaid.Mathapelo MatabanIn a hall in a dusty church yard in Soweto, children - many of whom have never even heard classical music - wait patiently for their chance to pick up a violin for the first time and demonstrate their natural aptitude for music. Their gift. They yearn to be a part of the Buskaid music project which has transformed the lives of young people in South Africa's most famous black township. Acclaimed British musician Rosemary Nalden started this remarkable program by chance. One morning at home in 1991, she heard a radio story about a struggling string ensemble in South Africa. In response, she and her colleagues busked at train stations across the UK, raising thousands of dollars. That became the seed for a grass roots music project and saw Rosemary travel from Britain to South Africa to ultimately establish Buskaid."Somebody, somewhere up there, decided that I was going to be the recipient of this huge gift really, and I know I moan and groan and complain, but actually I am so fortunate that this happened, and it happened in a flash. It's just an abundance of riches really." Rosemary Nalden - Director, Buskaid.The Buskaid project taps into the deep and natural musical talents and traditions of Soweto, where many children can sing in harmony even before they can read and write."We're in one tiny corner of Soweto, we're in a suburb and we've got this little, tiny catchment of children coming in, and amongst those children the majority are talented." Rosemary Nalden - Director, Buskaid.Mathapelo Matabane is one of the stars of the ensemble. She learned to sing at church and joined Buskaid as a teenager. She and the group have performed around the world from New York to Syria."We sing when we happy, we sing when we sad, we sing when we want to just enjoy our talent really." Mathapelo Matabane - musician, Buskaid.Mathapelo was born during the apartheid era, but is now part of the first generation to come of age in an era of unprecedented freedom and opportunity in South Africa."Well I mean since I was born, I think it's changed dramatically - some people feel for the good, some people feel for the bad." Mathapelo Matabane - musician, Buskaid.The size of South Africa's black middle class has doubled in the past decade and wealthy parts of Soweto now have sleek shopping malls and all the trappings of middle class suburbia.The young musicians of Buskaid are already taking on the world, performing from London to New York and beyond. They are grateful for the tireless dedication of Rosemary Nalden."She saw the talent that was in Soweto and for her to bring out that music, that talent, it's just incredible." - Mathapelo Matabane - musician, Buskaid.Several Buskaid students have been accepted to the Royal Academy of Music in the UK, many others aspire to follow the same path. Music has given new hope and opportunities to hundreds of children in Soweto.There's something going on, isn't there? There is something going on, and it's sort of much bigger than all of us. And it has transformed the lives of quite a number of people.It's been hard work, but it just feels literally at a particular point in my life and in their lives and in the life of this country." Rosemary Nalden - Director, Buskaid.e is one of the stars of the ensemble. She learned to sing at church and joined Buskaid as a teenager. She and the group have performed around the world from New York to Syria."We sing when we happy, we sing when we sad, we sing when we want to just enjoy our talent really." Mathapelo Matabane - musician, Buskaid.Mathapelo was born during the apartheid era, but is now part of the first generation to come of age in an era of unprecedented freedom and opportunity in South Africa."Well I mean since I was born, I think it's changed dramatically - some people feel for the good, some people feel for the bad." Mathapelo Matabane - musician, Buskaid.The size of South Africa's black middle class has doubled in the past decade and wealthy parts of Soweto now have sleek shopping malls and all the trappings of middle class suburbia.The young musicians of Buskaid are already taking on the world, performing from London to New York and beyond. They are grateful for the tireless dedication of Rosemary Nalden."She saw the talent that was in Soweto and for her to bring out that music, that talent, it's just incredible." - Mathapelo Matabane - musician, Buskaid.Several Buskaid students have been accepted to the Royal Academy of Music in the UK, many others aspire to follow the same path. Music has given new hope and opportunities to hundreds of children in Soweto.There's something going on, isn't there? There is something going on, and it's sort of much bigger than all of us. And it has transformed the lives of quite a number of people.It's been hard work, but it just feels literally at a particular point in my life and in their lives and in the life of this country." Rosemary Nalden - Director, Buskaid |
| Event |
Broadcast 2014-09-23 at 20:00:00 |
| Notes |
Classification: NC |
| Subject |
Royal Academy of Music (London, England : 1822- )
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Culture.
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Music -- Instruction and study.
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Music and children.
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Women musicians.
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South Africa -- Soweto.
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| Form |
Streaming video
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| Author |
Sara, Sally, host
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Matabane, Mathapelo, contributor
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Mokonoto, Lesego, contributor
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Nalden, Rosemary, contributor
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