Background
"Our music" was borne out of meetings that were held by young and dynamic people in 2009 who were eager to see the change that they wanted become a reality. This change was for the development of serious music (Jazz) within the disadvantaged community and in the formal music education institutions, especially the development and cultivation-preservation of South African jazz.
The dream was inspired by a South African music workshop that two of the executive members had been selected to attend in 2009 in Hout bay; Cape Town. Having had the pleasure of experiencing the power of music, "Our Music", through master classes with greats such as Feya Faku, Robbie Jansen, Hilton Schilder and others.
Being aspiring musicians ourselves we know the grave situation of the arts in our country and have experienced some cruelties which must be curbed for the generations to come, if we really want to see our industry manifest abundantly. These are but some of the disparities which "Our Music" intends to correct, so that we not only fix things for ourselves but for the greater good of the industry.
The change has to begin somewhere and we have chosen that it must start with us. We've seen how many of the festivals and events organised by non-musicians continue even to this day to either fail the musicians completely or fail music, because so many of them don’t know what it takes to bring the music out to the people and take musicians for granted.
This is a skill acquired by many, but rarely respected. The education system has to this day not realised the fact that an academics orientated only system fails some of the students who are creative in mind. For a long time the matriculant has had no option but to give up on education if he/she does not excel in academia. If only our education system were to allow for music to be taken as a subject in public schools around the country; firstly the high unemployment rate would be curbed and the high rate of failures in Grade 12 would be minimised by a huge margin.
We still have a long way to go and a big gap to fill but we are determined to see the change through, because if we can move our government to change its ways we will have won half the battle.
As the R.Y.T.H.M (Reaching Youth Through Music) team continues to grow and expand beyond our imaginations, more young and dynamic people will join the original members of the executive to lend their resources and time. This will help to ensure that the music industry grows, and up and coming artists face a better future.
Objectives of R.Y.T.H.M
As students, we feel that there is not enough emphasis being placed on the music that comes from our own South African heritage. Through the "Our Music" project, we hope to educate and expose young people to this music, and thereby ignite in them a curiosity and interest in their own heritage.
- To educate a minimum of 5000 High School learners about South African History through the life stories and music of South African Jazz Legends.
- To promote further studies at University Institutions, and particularly in music.
- To bring high school learners from disadvantaged communities in and around Cape Town to the South African College of Music and the Baxter Theatre to participate in workshops and experience music from their own South African Jazz Heritage.
Social Objectives
Young people today face many issues such as poverty, gangsterism and substance abuse. We believe that the Arts, and specifically music, is an effective way of drawing the youth to a life of meaning and purpose.
"Our Music" is an initiative that creates an opportunity for young people, both high school students and university students, to learn from South African jazz legends. We feel that there is still so much to learn from these legends, their journey through Apartheid, how it affected their music, their compositions and their playing style. We realise that too often we have looked to other countries for music heroes and have neglected our highly talented artists' right here in South Africa.
We hope to encourage young musicians to follow their dreams, but at the same time discover their own rich heritage.
Young people who might never have experienced a live concert, will get the opportunity to not only enjoy a concert but possibly meet the artists.
By meeting and speaking to the Jazz Legends who might have grown up in their own communities, young people will realise that they can do anything they put their minds to.
