KIM MATTHEWS

DURBAN MUSIC SCHOOL

What does your company do?

We empower vulnerable, disabled, orphaned and disadvantaged children by giving them free music education which enables them to get a diploma through the Royal or Trinity Schools of Music, London and they are then able to find employment in the music industry. We identify children who have talent and are committed and give them everything they need for 8 years to be able to learn to play a musical instrument of their choice. We give them an instrument, lessons in practical, theory and ensemble training. We pay for their transport to and from the school, sheet music, uniforms, exams and anything else they need. We have many young Black South Africans who now work for the school as fully qualified music educators who have been educated through the school. We have many ensembles and we perform concerts of our community and educational concerts at primary schools in the townships around Durban and Pietermaritzburg. We have outreach programs to a two primary schools where we have large violin programs and a program at the Open Air School for the physically disabled where we teach over 180 children. We have community programs for the children of Albert Park so that they don't run around the streets in the afternoons i.e. chess, boxing and gym.