Music pupils from Reddam House Constantia performed in an online concert that raised about
R7 000 for a youth development project.
The online concert was released on the school’s YouTube channel and on the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s (CPO) Facebook page earlier this month.
Titled, Playing it Forward, the concert saw young musicians show off their talent in aid of the CPO’s Masidlale Project.
Started in 2009, the project uses music to help young people reach their full potential.
Thirty-three Grade 8 to matric pupils sent in recorded performances of themselves to Nicky Jansen, the school’s
head of music, who combined the videos and put them online.
During the 90-minute concert, pupils sang and played the guitar, ukulele, violin, piano, saxophone, trumpet, drum kit, and trombone.
“Music not only sustains one in difficult times,” said Ms Jansen, “but, in the case of so
many of those Masidlale learners, it is the one thing that lifts their lives and those of their communities.”
Matric pupil Micheal Copeman plays the piano and said it was refreshing to use music to take people’s minds off Covid-19 while helping a project that supports other young people through music.
“I think everyone can be a musician as long as they have the resources,” he said.
“The good thing about music is that it’s something that anyone can appreciate and do
easily if they have the opportunity.”
In the concert, Michael performed a piano solo of Mozart’s Sonata B flat Major K.570 1st Movement.
“I actually only started playing four and a half years ago. Many people say that taking up an instrument at 14 is too late, but I’ve always loved music.”
Michael comes from a very musical family. His mother and brother sing and play the double bass, piano and other instruments.
Michael is also part of the vocal ensemble and orchestra at his school.
He said Covid-19 had seen the cancellation of a music tour to Europe that the school had planned for June.
“Everyone was excited, there were going to be about 50 of us going for 12 days. It’s a shame that we can’t go, but as you can see, we’re finding other ways to perform and taking
advantage of the internet. We might not have live performance but there is virtual performance.”
Another matric pupil, Michaela Eichel, who played the violin in the concert, said she too was disappointed about the tour’s cancellation.
Covid-19 also caused the music department’s mid-year concert to be called off.
It was heartbreaking to be missing so many highlights in the final year of her school career, Michaela said.
“The mid-year concert is great because it’s a chance for us to work together towards something. It’s also one of the last few chances for us (matrics) to show what we can do.”
Michaela enjoys the camaraderie of playing music with others.
“It’s like being part of a sports team because you’re all motivated towards a common goal.” she said.
Lockdown, she said, could get very lonely so the concert had been a “feel good” moment for her and her fellow musicians.