POLOKWANE – Kelebogile Chuene, a Gr 12 learner at PEPPS, is a passionate drummer who joined the school in Gr 10.
PEPPS is the only school to present music as a subject up to Gr 12. The move to PEPPS certainly played a positive role in Kelebogile’s aspiration to become a professional drummer.
In February, the school held auditions for various music artists to perform and qualify for the national performing arts championship. Kelebogile’s performance saw him advance with flying colours to the national auditions at the end of March in Johannesburg.
“I have never seen such a huge number of drummers together in my life as I saw at the South African Championship of Performing Arts (Sacopa). I did not expect to be able to represent South Africa at this year’s international performing arts championship (WCOPA) in Los Angeles, US,” Kelebogile said.
He left Polokwane for Los Angeles on 26 June, the day he wrote his last exam, and would like to thank PEPPS for accommodating him to write his exam earlier so he could be able to leave on time for his departure to the states.
Kelebogile said practicing hard and his inextinguishable passion for playing the drums for his first competition also contributed to his success.
At the age of six he discovered his passion for this instrument by playing on any kind of drumming item he could find in his parents’ house, even his mom’s pots and pans.
His parents are also musical, with father being a pianist, and his mother blessed with a talented singing voice, and both performing in their church band. It was thus natural for Kelebogile to develop a keen interest in music.
“When my parents realised I had a passion for drumming, they initially bought me a set of toy drums to practice my skills on,” he said with a smile.
Kelebogile expressed his gratitude to PEPPS for their dedication to music education and to his music teacher, Olamide Timothy, as it is through them he is beginning to reach his musical potential. He also thanked his parents who have always supported his drumming aspirations.
