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The Buskaid String Ensemble, which has travelled the world sharing the gift of classical music with a touch of elements kwela music and a little Afro pop, will perform at the Linda Auditorium in Parktown today.
Buskaid is based in Diepkloof in Soweto, where it was founded by Rosemary Nalden, a classically-trained viola player from England years ago.
Nalden enlisted some of her friends in the early 1990s to busk at train stations in the UK, using the proceeds to buy instruments for children in South Africa who couldn’t afford them.
Today Buskaid offers an after school project where children as young as seven and eight are picking up musical instruments and learning the fundamentals of classical music.
This initiative has been going on for more than two decades and the alumni of the programme have all joined the senior ensemble band, which will perform live at the Linda Auditorium.
City Press spoke to a band member and teacher at the school about his involvement and experience with this project. We meet Lesego Mokonoto at the Buskaid offices in Parktown North on Friday where he and his team were frantically preparing for that afternoon’s after school session and the final rehearsals for today’s show.
The friendly violin player said: “Musically, it’s going well. We’ve been preparing for it since January. Everybody just wants it to happen because it’s been so long.”
The light-hearted classical cat explains how fulfilling it is to see a kid really come into their own as they wrap their minds around playing an instrument and get to grips with the music.
“It’s a place of safety and a place to have fun and learn a new skill. Our two main sponsors are Redefined Property and Total. I’m not sure if we have any proposals with government. It is a struggle as we have a school that was build for 35 students and we have 140.”
Mokonoto explained how the music that will be played today is fairly popular, including works stretching from Mozart to Mafikizolo as well as a little jazz, Afro pop and gospel.
He said the kids are not bothered by the whiteness associated with classical music. They just love to learn.
The school hopes to develop into an academy where children can attend full time and learn music as well as other subjects.
What is shocking is that no record labels or brands that manufacture instruments and the like, have stepped up to furnish this school with instruments which Mokonoto said is a struggle.
Buskaid has given a lot of the alumni’s career in music.
Keabetswe Goodman came through the ranks and is now studying towards a qualification in sound engineering. She is still involved in Buskaid with her creative beaded designs for the instrument cases you will see on stage.
Goodman said: “A neighbour had a visitor over, someone from Buskaid. I wasn’t so interested at first but my mom signed me up. I was in Grade 5 and ever since my career has blossomed.”
Goodman said she was lucky to be considered a role model by young girls in her neighbourhood.
“I’ve learnt how to discipline myself and to give respect. I’m a teacher under Rosemary’s mentorship and last year I got my diploma which means I can teach music at most levels. Now I’m at Boston [College] studying sound engineering,” she said.
The senior ensemble has two albums out – Sunrise and Movies and More – both available on all streaming platforms. The records were released last year, two discs aimed at providing you with different flavours.
Be sure to keep an eye and an ear out for this exciting musical incubator and the artistic potential percolating at Buskaid.
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