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20 December 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied
OSM Heidedal Outreach
The OSM ROC Outreach Community concert is an annual highlight on the community calendar in Heidedal.

The annual Odeion School of Music (OSM) Heidedal Outreach programme’s underlying philosophy is that of equal learning experiences for the community as well as the OSM. The community concert is an annual event in Bloemfontein in partnership with the Reach Our Community Foundation (ROC).

The Heidedal Marimba Project – founded by the OSM Music Education department in 2015 – works in collaboration with the ROC Foundation to serve the children of Heidedal. Through the programme and music,, learners from Heide Primary School in Heidedal participate in an event of beauty and harmony and the OSM students get the opportunity of arranging, teaching and performing music with the learners, as well as compiling a musical performance programme. .

“We are grateful for the privilege to be inspired by the children from Heidedal while we in return incorporate change in their lives,” said Gerda Pretorius, OSM lecturer and co-organiser of the Outreach programme. Pretorius is co-organiser with Patrick Kaars, director of the ROC.

Service learning important for UFS students


It is the third year that the popular concert has taken place in Heidedal and forms part of the BMus, BA (Music) and Diploma in Music qualification which integrates Music education modules with Service Learning. The partnership between OSM and ROC lies in the philosophy of shared benefits. 
“The main objective is to provide a service to the community by offering basic skills, which include aural training, as well as teaching both music and movement,” says Pretorius.

The OSM believes not only in the intrinsic musical experience of music-making but is also advocating music-making as an ethical action for social justice.
The community footprint of the OSM is entrenched in the Bloemfontein community with Music Education partnerships at the Brandwag Primary School, the Lettie Fouché School (for mentally impaired learners) as well as the Sentraal Primary School.

The concert took place on Saturday 19 October 2019 at the Heide Primary School. 

The OSM students who took part in the outreach were Sibongile Mafata, Lauren Aldag, Nadia Smith, Lesley-Ann Mhalo, Brendaly Buckley, Mary Moalosi, Enslin Smith, Chrismari Grobbelaar, and Phillip Verster.

News Archive

Staff and their children among proud graduates
2013-04-19

19 April 2013
  •  Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Prof Neil Heideman’s son O’Ryan received a BA degree. O’Ryan’s mom, Estelle Heideman is the Director of the Health and Wellness Centre. O’Ryan’s graduation ceremony was made even more special when his dad – instead of the Registrar, Dr Derek Swemmer – draped his graduation sash around his shoulders.

  • Chairperson of the Department of Consumer Science, Prof Hester Steyn’s two daughters Sanet and Constanze both received their degrees cum laude. Constanze (left) obtained a BA Music degree and Sanet a BA Honours in English. Sanet recently received an Erasmus Mundus scholarship and she leaves in August for Groningen in the Netherlands where she will study for her master’s degree.

  • Faculty Manager at the Faculty of Law, Adri Kotzé’s daughter Adéle received a BA Communication degree cum laude. Adéle is currently busy with her honours in Afrikaans and Dutch.

  • Secretary of the Department Chairperson: Plant Sciences, Nelmari Janse van Rensburg received a BEd Pre-school and Foundation Phase degree.

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