R.Y.T.H.M Profiles

Monique van Willingh

Since the year 2000 Monique has been performing on stage, whether be it for Wind band, Orchestra or jazz bands. Starting out at Beau Soleil Music Center thus becoming the principal flautist of the senior wind band and symphony orchestra.

While at Sans Souci Girl’s High she received awards every year for outstanding performance in music and was awarded full music and academic colours. In her matric year she received second place prize at the Beau Soleil Matric solo competition and also conducted the wind band, which received a distinction in an eisteddfod under her leadership.

She has participated in the ABSA National Youth solo competition which was held in Port Elizabeth and she has completed her grade 8 Royal Schools qualification. She was selected as the Principal Flautist of the MIAGI Youth Orchestra, which toured Germany, as well as a finalist of the FMR Competition (Jazz Category).

Linda Tshabalala

Linda Tshabalala has been a performer for the past six years, starting out at the Music Academy of Gauteng in Benoni. With this school’s big band she backed some of the best musicians in South Africa; the likes of Hugh Masekela, S’bongile Khumalo, Gloria Bosman, Barney Rachabane, and a host of others.

She has also travelled with this big band to Holland and Sweden, on a tour promoting South African music in 2003. In 2004 she had the privilege of performing at the now defunct IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators).

In 2006 she performed in South Korea for six months with fellow musicians at the Intercontinental Hotel. In 2009 she was selected as one of only 12 participants of the Jazz Legends Course, in which the participants learnt about their South African Jazz Heritage. She is currently busy with her third year of studies at the UCT College of music. And is also part of the R.Y.T.H.M executive team that is organising the Cape Town venture of the project.

Candice Martin

Candice Martin is currently studying at the University of Cape Town aiming to finish her BMUS studies at the end of 2009. She is studying with Fardia Bacharova and has been a member of the South African National Youth Orchestra since 2005. I n 2006 the orchestra travelled to Germany to participate in the Beethoven festival. She is also a member of the UCT Symphony orchestra and the UCT string ensemble.

She is the leader of Intermezzo String Quartet which frequently performs at weddings and corporate functions in and around the Western Cape. The quartet has been playing together for the past five years.

Recently Candice has been involved in improving the awareness of South African music. Being on the planning committee of R.Y.T.H.M (Reaching Youth through Music) and the Bow Exchange Project, an exchange of musical ideas between Western and African Bows.

Lwanda Gogwana

Lwanda Gogwana is from East London, South Africa. He started his music career by picking up the trumpet, piano and sung in the school choir at the tender age of 7 years. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Cape Town, having majored in composition and also studied at the University of Oslo Norway, in Europe (2006). The latter was on a Scholarship programme.

He has been a member of the National Youth Jazz band in 2007 and 2008; a UCT Big band member for 4 consecutive years