Alex News story lands music teacher a piano
ALEXANDRA - An Alex News story for donations of music instruments sees a music teacher receiving a piano. Read about the kind act here...
The story of an Alex music teacher’s plea for donations of musical instruments, which appeared in Alex News in May, had a positive spin-off when an anonymous donor donated a piano.
William Bapela, a director of the Persistent Music Project, which has more than 500 pupils from three schools in Alexandra attending music classes – namely Carter, Ikage and Iphutheng primary schools – said he was short of words to express his gratitude for the donation.
“I look at this kind gesture as the beginning of bigger things to come as we still need more instruments for the practical side of the music lessons, which because of the lack of instruments, we have been teaching the children the theory aspect only.
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“If we can get more donations to ensure that these children have hands-on lessons as well, I am sure our efforts will go a long way. Music is one subject that cannot be taught purely on theory as the kids need that practical experience as well,” Bapela said when he unveiled the piano to Alex News at Iphutheng Primary School where it is housed.
Bapela said the donors bought the 60-year-old piano from Alfred Lincoln of Mutual Square in Rosebank more than 37 years ago in the hope that their children would develop a liking for music, but that was not to be, and the piano has been lying idle in the house as part of the furniture ever since and had gone out of tune.
Bapela said they were unable to expand the programme to other primary and secondary schools in Alex due to a lack of financial support that would otherwise enable them to purchase adequate musical instruments and hire qualified music facilitators who would be deployed to the schools.
He said their chief objective was to get the primary and secondary schools involved in the programme to eventually establish music as a subject and part of the curriculum in all of the schools. “We’re so lucky in that our donors have agreed to pay the expenses to get the piano tuned and once this is done, our pupils can now begin their hands-on lessons. They are so excited and can’t wait.”
Bapela said they have struck up a relationship with the Unisa Music Foundation in Pretoria with a view to securing varsity places and bursaries for Grade 12 pupils in Alexandra with a love of music and who want to pursue a career in music.
“This opportunity will also be open for the youth and school leavers in Alex who also want to pursue careers in music instead of sitting in the township and doing nothing, ending up being consumed by drugs and other social ills,” Bapela said.
Details: William Bapela 071 619 8173; Lenin Mpesi 084 600 8404.
