What the stage pays for

Stefon Harris, vibraphonist and Head of the Manhattan School of Music, identified him to study in the US after his performance at the 2017 inaugural Tshwane International Big Band Festival.

The Foundation funded and facilitated his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in the USA.

Both were partly funded by the Foundation for their university studies.

A multiple SAMA and Daimler Benz Award winner who had never written sheet music. Workshops leading to performances at the Linder Auditorium taught him to read, write and score his own music.

These traditional forms had never been scored. Through our concerts, artists including Madala Kunene, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Bhekumuzi Luthuli learnt to read scores, and veteran artists ran workshops for Maskandi musicians.

Students have learnt instrumental technique at annual workshops given by artists the Foundation contracted, including Yusef Lateef, Mary Stallings, Ramon Valle and Pharoah Sanders.

Student interns worked on concerts and learnt technical equipment, artist hospitality, event management and backstage production.

On arriving in Johannesburg as a young musician, he got his most significant break in a star-studded Foundation line-up, on his way to headline status.

The Foundation donated funds for the recording of his debut album.

He received a signature George Benson Ibanez guitar from the Foundation during his performances with Bob Mintzer in South Africa.

We honoured one of South Africa’s musical legends by financing and unveiling his memorial tombstone.