Meet with the director, the teachers and other staff members of this programme.
Welcome to the website of the Mangaung String Program.
On this website you will find more information about the Mangaung String Programme as well as the Bochabela String Orchestra.
Be amazed by the initiative of the Mangaung Program and by the talents of some of the children.
Look at some pictures and videos of the performances of the Bochabela String Orchestra.
Give the programme your support and see what other people do to help them.
But most important let your heart be stolen by the children!
member into the Golden Key academic society, in addition to receive an award for himself and the programme from the Premier of the Free State, and in 2010 he received the Friend of Heidedal Award, all largely due to the success of the BSO.
The orchestra regularly performs in excess of 50 times for government, corporate and community functions in most years. The Bochabela String Orchestra, the Bochabela Intermediate Orchestra, the Bochabela Junior Orchestra as well as the Bochabela Beginner Orchestra all practice on Saturday mornings.
That some of these students have talent is a fact. Six former pupils are now members of the Kwa Zulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban. Regomoditswe Thothela is co-principal double bass with the Johannesburg Philharmonic. Ruan Baartman is a full scholarship student at the prestigious Menuhin School in London. John Minnaar is an instructor at the Kimberley Academy of Music.
Due to the popularity of the programme we have started employing our older learners to help us teach the younger pupils. This has proved immensely successful. The younger children have a difficult concept explained in their own language. They have a role model they can relate to. We get excellent young teachers who grew up in the programme and understand the dynamics. Our young teachers receive a substantial confidence boost as well as a stipend to help them make ends meet.
The Mangaung String Program is a development program initiated by the Free State Musicon in July 1998 under the directorship of Peter Guy.The children are from the greater Bloemfontein area, predominately Mangaung. In 2002 the University of the Free State joined together with the Free State Musicon in partnering the popular programme.
Tuition takes place in group formats at a number of primary schools in Mangaung in the mornings and then continues with more specialized tuition at the Free State Musicon in the afternoons. Orchestras practice on Saturday mornings at the Musicon. Tuition is provided by staff members of each institution in addition to music students and interns from within the programme, as well as hourly tuition based on sponsorship.
Each pupil pays a modest fee. This covers tuition, instruments, repairs, teaching materials and transport. The programme operates a bus service, which runs 6 days a week.
The programme started an outreach programme in the rural southern Free State, two hours out of Bloemfontein, with 100 pupils. There are currently over 430 pupils in the MSP.
The director, Peter Guy, has received the Music Achiever of the year award in Johannesburg, as well as twice being nominated for Bloemfonteiner of the Year. He has also received a Centenary Medal from the University of the Free State, has been admitted as an honorary
Musicon staff
Teaching assistants
Tsholofelo Sereeco Tsholofelo Tshikane
Gift Hess Amanda Snyman
François Henkins Nlhanla Xipu sp
Prof Derek Ochse Hendi Krogh sp
Carmi Nel Hans Potgier
Petro Engelbrecht Barry Swanepoel
Sharon de Kock Thapelo
Werrner Stander
Peter Guy, director of the Mangaung String Since he moved to Bloemfontein to teach bass and play in the FSSO. Being qualified to do group teaching, he soon started the Mangaung String Programme which has now been running for 14 years.
Other members of the staff are:
Shadrack Gabaitumele Richard Reid
Japie Van Reenen Stefan Velkov
Eunice Katu Thabo Makhebesela
Vanelee van Bellins Ian Roos
Sidwell Tlhapi Greta de Klerk
Andile Qonqgo Tono/Wilfried/Kenossi Molalenyane
Arend Brink Angela Adlem
Alois Haindl Norman Moholo
Jana Lechtmann Jacob Monyatsi
Ettienne van Rooyen Betty Molahloe
Mariaan van Staaden Michael Ramatla
Upcoming events
The very public face of the Mangaung String Programme is the Bochabela String Orchestra. This orchestra, made up of the best of the Mangaung String Program, performs a wide variety of music from baroque to traditional and popular African music.
In 2005 they appeared 3 times on national television on Imizwile,(an African choral program), Morning Live, and as part of the orchestra which performed at the Standard Bank Massed Choir Festival.
They have performed widely throughout South Africa, including performances for the Free State Parliament, the Macufe Cultural Festival, the Maria Ratschitz Festival of Music in Kwa-Zulu Natal, the Orchestra Rave Festival in Johannesburg, the Nelson Mandela Bay Music Festival in Port Elizabeth, the Flying Carpet Music Festival in Johannesburg, the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival, the Robus Foundation Concerts in Tzaneen in Limpopo, on Morning Live, SABC 1, SABC 2, SABC 3, E-TV, Kyk-Net, Belgium TV, live performances on Lesedi FM, and for national government.
In February of 2009, members of the orchestra undertook a successful tour of Belgium and made a return tour to Austria and Belgium this December 2010. Many of these performances are a practical way to raise funds for bursaries, to attend music festivals, national orchestra courses, tours and orchestra camps.
Sponsorships
The Mangaung String Program has received support over the past few years from the South African Music Rights Organization, the Community Services Department of the University of the Free State, the Belgian Youth Orchestra Violet, the Zaventum School, The International School Brussels, Music in die Piano Forte in Austria, Fractured Atlas in the USA and the FirstRand Foundation which gave us a grant to buy our 30 seat bus.
How you can help!
If you want to help the Mangaung String Programme by for example donating money or by booking them for your event, you can contact Peter Guy, the director of the organization. He would love to answer your e-mail and together you will figure something out!
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