Gala dinner hosted in honour of late composer Dr Khosa
Khosa's music is said to have brought people together in celebrating life as a kind of war cry through cosmopolitan and universal lyrics.
LIMPOPO- In honour of the late choral music composer, Dr Shalati Joseph Khosa, the Collins Chabane Municipality and the Khosa family recently hosted a gala dinner at Malamulele Community Hall.
Khosa, who hails from Merwe village outside Malamulele, composed 850 songs that are being played and studied in universities across the country.
Collins Chabane Mayor Shadrack Gezane Maluleke said Khosa’s music brought people together in celebrating life as a kind of war cry, as well as created a common consciousness, as the lyrics were cosmopolitan and universal, and told the story of one human family under one heaven.
“By age 14, he had formally composed several songs, his collection of over 850 compositions will remain a national treasure. In 1971, he won a scholarship to further his musical studies at Lausanne University in Switzerland. He later obtained a Master’s Degree in music from Unisa and was conferred with an honorary doctorate in music,” according to Maluleke.
“He founded and ran numerous music programmes through his teachings, musical performances and concerts. His philosophy was that local music should reflect both African and Western elements, which he ensured to incorporate in his music. Dr Khosa’s music was not only meant for our ears, but played a significant role in intellectual development and social cohesion. His music played various roles in black society, it was not only composed purposefully for church or formal events such as choir competitions or renditions,” he said.
Hosi Sydwell Khosa said the family has committed to join hands with the NPC and other stakeholders to ensure that Khosa’s legacy is preserved.
“The family is not only grateful, but also humbled by the vision bearer we had in Dr Khosa.
He was the son of our soil who had a special talent.
“Whatever he looked at or came across, he turned into a melody that eventually reached millions of ears.
At the time of his passing in 2015, he had written and arranged more than 800 songs.
The family, especially his parents and siblings supported his talent as they themselves were not strangers to organised noise called ‘music’. The family takes pride in this lasting satisfaction brought on by his music ventures,” Maluleke concluded.
