The Soweto Theatre Youth Orchestra, under the Joburg City Theatres, is a dynamic programme designed to equip young musicians with both artistic and professional skills in the field of music. The orchestra is composed of 30 talented young adults from across Soweto and was established in September 2024 with a vision to create opportunities through structured music education and performance.
This innovative programme emphasizes a holistic approach to music, where participants are taught to read and write music, enabling them to perform confidently on any stage when presented with a musical score. More than just technical training, the initiative is committed to developing soft skills essential to professional musicianship discipline, focus, collaboration, and adaptability.
“Studying and playing an instrument instils a level of discipline and concentration that serves our young artists both on and off the stage,” said Ntombizivumile Qupe, Youth and Community Development Manager at Soweto Theatre. “Through ensemble work and collaborations, they also learn teamwork, communication, and how to navigate working with people from all walks of life.”
What sets the Soweto Theatre Youth Orchestra apart is its diverse and genre-spanning faculty. The programme’s facilitators are seasoned performers specializing in genres ranging from Classical and Western to Afro-Jazz and African traditional music. This blend of practical experience and academic understanding offers participants a unique and well-rounded musical education.
The orchestra is playing a vital role in reviving the musical heartbeat of Soweto by breathing new life into the historic Jabulani Amphitheatre, once a prominent cultural venue during the height of Soweto’s artistic evolution. The amphitheatre is now witnessing a resurgence as the orchestra will attract diverse audiences, re-establishing it as a creative cornerstone in the community.
Through live concerts, music education initiatives, and collaborations, the orchestra is not only restoring the venue’s legacy but also inspiring a new generation of musicians. In doing so, the orchestra is helping transform Jabulani, and the wider Soweto, back into a thriving hub of artistic innovation and cultural pride.
