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Rosemary Nalden

Soweto Strings

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Music: Classical

13/01/2008

BBC Four - Soweto Strings

Documentary telling the story of a British music teacher's work in Soweto in South Africa.

Documentary telling the story of a British teacher's adventure in the black township of Soweto, enabling kids to transcend their environment through creative involvement in music.

An immensely moving and inspiring account of a British music teacher's adventure in the black township of Soweto, enabling kids to transcend the constraints of their environment, and find hope through creative involvement in music.

Under the heavily polluted shadow of one of the giant gold-mining slag heaps near Diepfloof, Soweto, in a township still dominated by violence, AIDS, and poverty, children of all ages play Bach, Mozart and Bartok with a verve and flair unique in the world. They play not because of some neo-missionary do-gooder's devotion, but because they feel drawn to music that is at once exotic and deeply familiar.

The Buskaid Music School in Soweto was founded by a distinguished British viola player Rosemary Nalden, who originally came to South Africa at the invitation of a local music teacher. She was so inspired by what she found there that she stayed, and eventually set up her own school, which struggles to keep going on little funding, but which has established itself as an unusual centre of excellence. The Buskaid String Orchestra has toured Europe and the USA several times and received unanimous praise. The Orchestra was invited to play at the 2007 Proms, where the young Sowetans received standing ovations.

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