Donation will bring music to teacher’s ears
MIDRAND - Juliet Rammutla is a music graduate from Tshwane University of Technology who has decided to build her profile and work experience by serving her community.
“After I graduated, I couldn’t get a job as they all wanted six years of experience,” said the Ivory Park-born young woman. Rammutla said she volunteered at a non-government organisation for a year before she decided to start her own closer to home. Hence began New Beginning, a free music-teaching organisation which is based in her home township at Ivory Park Stadium and holds classes twice a week.
“I currently have around 40 students, 15 of whom are registered to write their music exams with Unisa,” said Rammutla.
But being a four-month-old organisation has its challenges. “We do not have adequate instruments at the moment, so for the time being I am teaching my students the theory aspect of music,” she said.
Rammutla said the 15 students who are registered with Unisa were self-taught musicians who just needed help with reading music sheets, detection (ear training) and composing their own music.
Shepherd Makhubela, who plays drums, said he wanted to learn the theory behind the music. He had taught himself to play drums at a young age but never learned to read the music. “I come from a musical family and, although we’ve always played music, I never learned how to read it.
“I am looking forward to a bright future in music.”
Rammutla said she was hoping to grow the organisation beyond music, “I want it to be an art centre, where dancing, drama and visual arts are taught,” she added.
“For now, though, we need instruments. Some of the older students have them and every now and again will lend them to us, however, they are normally a source of income for them and they can’t keep risking getting them damaged by beginner students,” she said.
Details: juliet.rammutla@gmail.com
Will you be donating instruments to the school? Tell us on the Midrand Reporter Facebook page
