The Buskaid Ensemble
Our ensemble consists of talented young musicians, all Buskaid-trained, who perform a variety of western classical, classic pop, Afro-pop, traditional township ‘vibe’, and, most recently, South Africa’s own Amapiano.
We aim to provide our ensemble members with invaluable professional experience, create employment opportunities, inspire our audiences, and highlight the exceptional versatility and outstanding musicality of these young South African musicians.
Early beginnings
The Buskaid Soweto String Ensemble has developed from an elementary string group into a world-renowned string ensemble with an impressive track record for high quality, stylistic performances. Its activities include concerts on local and international stages, corporate and private events, and teaching workshops.
The ensemble’s first official performance took place at Johannesburg’s Linder Auditorium on 22 February 1997 under the baton of Sir John Eliot Gardiner. 14 children from the newly established Buskaid project were joined by 14 UK and four local professional musicians, and the Bonisudumo Choir. This ground-breaking event is believed to be the first time that a multi-racial group of classical musicians had ever appeared on the stage of this concert hall.
During 1997 the ensemble began to receive invitations to appear at prestigious events, the most notable of which was a performance at the Pretoria residence of the late President Nelson Mandela. In these very early days, repertoire was simple and consisted of jigs, reels, waltzes, and a few Kwela arrangements
International acclaim
The Buskaid ensemble has toured internationally 27 times, performing with huge success in the UK, France, the USA, Ireland, Holland, Germany, New Zealand, Botswana, Syria, Colombia, Brazil, Italy and Réunion Island; as guest artists at the City of London, Cheltenham and New Haven International Festivals; at the Cité de la Musique, Paris; at the 2007 BBC Promenade Concerts (as the only South African orchestra ever to have appeared at the Proms); and, in 2014, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank, London. In 2009, it was identified by the UK’s Gramophone Magazine as one of the world’s ten most inspirational orchestras, alongside such esteemed orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. In July 2017, in celebration of its 20th Anniversary, the ensemble undertook a series of concerts and workshops in Brazil and Colombia, where it collaborated for the second time with the acclaimed dance project, El Colegio del Cuerpo. In May 2018, a smaller group performed in northern Italy, presenting three highly successful concerts.
The ensemble has played six times under the baton of Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and in collaboration with such distinguished artists as Melvyn Tan, Bernarda Fink, Steven Isserlis and Sir Karl Jenkins. It has performed several times in the presence of the late President Nelson Mandela; for the late Queen Elizabeth II, HRH Prince Charles (King Charles III), and other members of the British Royal family; for President Cyril Ramaphosa and the First Lady, as well as for many distinguished foreign dignitaries, including the former First Lady of the United States of America, Mrs Michelle Obama.
Student successes
Over the years Buskaid has entered 135 candidates for the international practical examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), from Grade 2 to Grade 8, with a 100% pass rate, including 117 Distinctions and 14 Merits; in addition, Buskaid has produced 17 Diploma (Dip ABRSM & ARSM) and two Licentiate (LRSM) graduates, of whom ten were awarded Distinctions.
Since 2002 Buskaid has enabled six highly gifted students to study at two prestigious British music colleges – the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and the Royal Academy of Music (RAM).
Buskaid’s first alumnus, Samson Diamond, who joined as a ten-year-old founder member, was supported by Buskaid throughout his secondary education at an Arts School. The Trust then raised the funding for him to study at the RNCM (2002) where he graduated BMus with First Class Honours, and subsequently MMus. On returning to South Africa, he won the Standard Bank Young Artists Award for Music. He was then appointed leader of the Odeion String Quartet, University of Bloemfontein, Free State, and in 2023 was awarded a PhD from the same university. He recently relocated to Johannesburg to join the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra; he also plays regularly with Chineke!, a UK-based professional orchestra which offers employment opportunities to BME musicians.
Kabelo Motlhomi, Kabelo Monnathebe, Tiisetso Mashishi and Simiso Radebe, all of whom studied in at the RNCM and RAM with Buskaid’s support, are pursuing successful careers as teachers and performers in Johannesburg, Soweto and Cape Town. Simiso is a full-time member of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Cellist Gilbert Tsoke, who also studied at the RNCM, followed a different career path, but still plays with the Buskaid Ensemble.
Keabetswe Goodman LRSM, the ensemble’s principal second violin and senior Assistant violin teacher, enjoys a busy freelance career in Gauteng, and runs her own part-time design business.
Many other Buskaid alumni, as well as current Buskaid members, are much in demand as freelance musicians throughout South Africa. Those Buskaid graduates who are not professional musicians have successful careers in other fields.
