International music charity Bridges for Music is gearing up to start construction on a music and multimedia school in Langa Township in Cape Town.
The main goal of the school is to become a creative hub where young people can hone their skills through a shared passion for music. Course content will include aspects of music production, graphic design, basic Internet use and video editing using production facilities with equipment donated by the charity's partners.
"The school will help us work with larger numbers of people; to empower, inspire and upskill. It's very exciting for us," says Trenton Birch, African director at Bridges for Music.
The non-profit organisation (NPO) has set up a formal short course scholarship programme with the SAE Institute in Cape Town, in addition to a one-year Higher Certificate scholarship with SAE and the Black Coffee Foundation. "So once we get the school going, these scholarships are going to make a big difference."
Birch describes music as a "magnet".
"We are receptive to it, inspired by it and it moves us. We believe it is an amazing communication tool in developing countries. So we use music as the magnet to attract an audience and then through this channel we highlight social challenges and try to raise funds from the music industry globally to make a difference in people's lives on the ground."
For Birch, mobile technology serves as an enabler of music education. "People have access to mobile phones so they can take music with them wherever they go. Technically, we have the perfect tool to distribute music all over the country." However, he cites the expense of purchasing these devices and pricey data costs as stumbling blocks for the disadvantaged communities, which ultimately drives piracy.
Keen to empower people through music, the NPO's plans for 2015 include securing additional funding to ensure the school is sustainable over the next three years.
Part of these efforts saw Bridges for Music bringing German DJ and electronic music producer Loco Dice to South Africa earlier this year as part of its fundraising efforts for educational music projects. The tour included a performance at the Cape Town Electronic Music Festival, two fundraising shows alongside local artists and workshops in underprivileged areas in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
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