St John’s College percussion teacher, Motshwane Pege recently flew the South African flag high after walking away 2nd in Category A of the prestigious 20th Musica Sacra Nova Composer’s Competition in Germany.
During the school’s half-term break, Pege travelled to Germany for the world premiere of his double choir work, Angele Dei, at the historic Brauweiler Abbey. The piece, performed by the acclaimed Polski Chór Kameralny under Jan Łukaszewski, received resounding applause.
ALSO READ: Artist and architect Dissolves Realities at The Blue House in Parkwood
Pege explained that the recognition validated his music and its place on the world stage, “It connects people worldwide with my compositions, showcasing South Africa’s contributions to classical and choral music. In some competitions, I was the only one from Africa, highlighting my work’s significance. This exposure has led to collaborations with esteemed musicians and choirs eager to add my compositions to their repertoire, and commission new works.”
The percussion teacher’s history with music dates back to his choir days in Grade 1, and includes being part of the Drakensberg Boys Choir in Grade 7.
“I was fortunate to be offered a range of instruments to learn at school, but I knew I wanted to do something different from the usual piano, violin, or guitar. I chose percussion which included instruments like timpani, bass drum, snare drum, xylophone, glockenspiel, vibraphone, and marimba.”
ALSO READ: Discover enlightenment through Song with Siddhartha: The Musical at the Joburg Theatre
He added that he continued with percussion throughout his high school years at Hilton College, and played percussion in the school orchestra and jazz band, with marimba being his central focus in all of these ensembles.
Pege’s journey in composing music took off in 2022 when he entered international composition competitions and won 2nd prize at the Chorus Austin’s International Composer’s Competition in Texas. This milestone encouraged him to continue pushing forward.
He concluded, “The St John’s College music department is incredibly supportive of my career, encouraging me to seize opportunities and travel for my music. Teaching and interacting with talented and inspired students brings me immense joy and fulfilment. Both roles complement each other, providing inspiration and balance in my life.”
