May 11, 2007
By Lesego Madumo
OVER a hundred avid grade five and six schoolchildren from Saint Angels Primary School in Dobsonville, Soweto – accompanied by eight teachers – pour out of two buses parked next to the Pro Musica Theatre.
Dressed in their school uniforms, the children are at the theatre to take part in Pro Musica's String Tuition Scheme, part of the organisation's tuition programme for underprivileged schoolchildren.
The scheme, designed to help children learn to play musical instruments and made possible by the City of Johannesburg, is a dream come true for the theatre. It was launched on Tuesday, 8 May at the Pro Musica Theatre in Florida Park, in the west of the city.
It seems Pro Musica has offered the kids comfort, as they sit at round tables and listen attentively. Principal tutor Mike Masote shows the different kinds of instruments to the enthusiastic audience.
"Do you know the names of these instruments?" he asks; looking at each other, they admit, "No."
Principal tutor Mike Masote shows schoolchildren different music instruments
The jovial Masote – using hand gestures and cracking jokes – spoke to the children in Sepedi. He shows them how to play string instruments like the cello, viola and violin. "The violin and viola you hold [under] your chin, but the cello is too big … so you have to play it while sitting down."
Masote, with spectacles hanging on his chest and a bow in his hand, plays the nursery rhyme Twinkle twinkle little star and a simple jazz tune from the latest Alexandra Brass Band album; and the kids are tempted to sing along.
He tunes the violin and instructs them to continue singing. "You must watch my hands and don't stop until I indicate. Okay – one, two, let's go."
They try singing until the conductor says stop. But its difficult and some choke or start coughing, and there the song wavers out of tune. The teachers and Masote laugh before he says, "A bit hard né? Well, you'll learn as you go."
Lessons
He encourages the children to take their music lessons seriously as the tutoring is free. "Normally I charge R150 an hour for an individual, but you have been privileged, so you must take it seriously."
Tuition includes basic music skills on how to master the instruments used in an orchestra. "Hopefully you can turn your talents into the means to earn an income in future through professional music ensembles, or even teaching others."
Later he says to the teachers: "The problem is a lot of our children love music but only want to sing and not play instruments. This will help those who can't sing to equally enjoy the pleasure of being musicians."
The seed was planted for Pro Musica's tuition scheme in 1994 with the idea of teaching children from disadvantaged communities to play musical instruments. It will run every Tuesday at the theatre, with other schools expected to join later.
Funding
Explaining the task of getting the scheme off the ground, Weiss Doubell, the chief executive and artistic director of Pro Musica, said: "Being able to continuously provide such exposure and opportunities in these times in which funds are not easily accessed or obtained is a privilege which could not have been done without the help of the City of Johannesburg."
Welcoming the children, Doubell said the scheme was a dream come true. "The spiritual upliftment of children within society is a task which the arts can easily fulfil once the individual has been exposed to it.
"It's wonderful to see so many of you interested in this programme. Many things have been born in small ways."
Pro Musica had been passionate about establishing such a programme since 1981. "My hope is that it will be continued into the future."
Through the scheme Pro Musica aimed to enrich the lives of those who had had no previous experience in the performing arts.
For more information about the tuition scheme and the Pro Musica Theatre call Pro Musica Productions on 011 674 1357/8, fax it on 011 674 2365, send an email to prpromusica@mweb.co.za or visit the Pro Musica website.
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