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OSM music teaching progamme in Heidedal grows from strength to strength

21 December 2020 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied

OSM Heidedal outreach web read more — The children who took part in the 2020 music programme received a certificate for completing the project.

The yearly Heidedal music outreach progamme presented by the Odeion School of Music (OSM) and the Reach our Community Foundation (ROC) is growing from strength to strength each year. Amid the uncertainties of 2020 three students from the OSM persevered and vowed to continue with the teaching progamme to bring music by the community for the community.

This annual outreach programme was founded by the Music department at the OSM in 2015 and forms part of the BMus, BA (Music) and Diploma in Music qualification which integrates Music education modules with service learning.

This year’s progamme was established as an alternative to the Marimba Project which has been running for five years. “The aim is to continue with the programme in years to come, equipping and empowering the students to continue with instrumental training,” said Nadia Smith, a BAMus honours student and programme leader.

Students take charge of 2020 programme

Nadia Smith, together with third-year BMus students Liana Bester, and Chrismari Grobler, who all voluntarily took part in the progamme for six weeks, presented music lessons to 11 children in Heidedal. “Apart from the music knowledge these children gained they learned about teamwork and collaboration. They gained confidence and self-assurance, and reaped the fruit of their hard work,” said Smith.

For Smith the six weeks of learning was a wonderful, joyous experience. “As a student music teacher, I am privileged to realise early in my career that to teach music is to teach life. Seeing the children smiling and performing enthusiastically I realised that everyone deserves to be educated in, about, and through music.”

Community concert also to engage and educate

The teaching culminated in a much-anticipated community concert which took place on Saturday 14 November 2020. The community concert is presented as an ‘informance’, a collaboration between informing and performance.

“It enables us to engage with the audience by inviting them to sing and move. We also demonstrated to them the process, development and outcomes of the programme,” said Smith.

“In only 12 lessons the Heidedal students were exposed to different music styles including classical music, jazz and African music, and learned to read and write music notation, and to play the recorder,” said Smith.

News Archive

Brazil: Wayde’s dream destination since childhood

2015-12-15

Wayde van Niekerk knows he has to work even harder in 2016 if he wants to achieve success at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: Charl Devenish

When he was still in primary school, Wayde’s dream destination was Brazil. Even his dog’s name is Rio.

So it almost seems written in the stars for Wayde van Niekerk to take part in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio.

According to the 400m athlete of the University of the Free State (UFS), the Olympics has been something he has been dreaming about for years.

Van Niekerk, who studies BA Marketing at the UFS, has had a phenomenal 2015 season, and the whole of South Africa hopes he can repeat his outstanding form in Rio. The Olympics will be held from 5-21 August 2016.

Funny story

“It actually is a funny story. You know when you are in primary school, and the teacher says you have to write down your dream destination. Mine was Brazil,” Van Niekerk revealed.

“In 2012 at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics, I saw they introduced Rio as the next hosting country, and I thought Wow! That is where I want to be, and what I want to do.

“That opened my eyes and I knew God has a plan for me. I have to put in the hard work and achieve something with my life. Luckily from there on, there was pure growth in my life and I am grateful for that.”

His dream is also carried by his dog, Rio, a husky he got about two years ago.

Preparation in 2016

Van Niekerk will follow a specific programme leading up to Rio 2016.

In February next year, he will still be taking things easy, but will probably compete for the UFS in the Varsity Sports athletics.

“You have to build up slowly to peak at the right time,” he said.

In June 2016, he will start competing internationally in Jamaica, then New York, the All-Africa Games in Durban, and then, some Diamond League events before the Olympics in August.

In the archive:

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Wayde nominated as SAs best

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Wayde’s hat trick of awards

Congratulate wayde and other achievers

Wayde wins gold

Kovsie trailblazing track runner

Kovsie gold medalist

Kovsie Campion sprinter

Wayde sets African record

Kovsies keep winning, this time in athletics

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