Coombeshead College, Coombeshead Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 1PT

01626 334401

23 years in Junior and Middle Schools more or less specialising in Music and Drama. 8 years Secondary teaching as a Music specialist. Interested in all forms and styles of creative activity and music, especially jazz education. Into music technology.

Hope to find out something about the contemporary position of ethnic cultural and popular music and the place of music in local education. I find the combination of music with other art forms fascinating, and materials relating to local ethnic traditions could be useful in African studies for the younger student.

If there was one facet of the visit that consistently shone above everything else it was the friendliness and helpfulness of everyone with whom we came into contact - the flight attendants, hotel staff, Geila, teachers, advisers, children, shop assistants and even passers by. Nothing was too much trouble and we were surrounded by smiles.

The first breakfast on the sunny terrace of the Breakwater hotel underneath Table Mountain set the tone for our stay. Immediately, this was followed by the double whammy of the singing and dancing session with students at the University and hearing a Xhosa choir for the first time (from the Simon Estes school, no less).

Physically experiencing the rhythms and movement of such music was highly stimulating and downright exhausting (ah, the sophistication of the Swainger version of the Gumboot dance! Methinks the politely disguised laughter of the Simon Estes children could tell a tale or two).

Hearing the fantastic wall of sound coming from the young throats of the choir completely knocked us back. The strength and maturity of the voices, especially the boys, was amazing - all in three or four-part harmony. Later, we discovered that other similar schools also had very good choirs which they were keen to show. The memorable things are that all the singing arose out of their Xhosa tradition and had little to do with the curriculum, the children's ability to perform at the drop of a hat, the enthusiasm with which they sang, movement with everything and the fact that they wanted to include the national anthem (sung with great respect and their hands on their hearts - imagine British children).

Franklin Lewis, the main adviser, illustrated the difference between the various types of school and introduced us to a very hard working music centre. Louis de Preez set us loose upon students at the Boland Teacher's Training College. Terry Laubscher the subject adviser for music, after taking me to a session on the basics of notation with local Township teachers also took me on a fascinating tour of the Cape Town locality - finishing up with orange juice and ginger beer at the Royal Yacht Club. Apparently, whilst at the South African National Gallery, I had indulged in some rather cheeky repartee with Shirley Williams, the politician - well, I didn't know!

One single fact from a television broadcast sticks in my mind - 28,000 schools in South Africa - 22,000 do not have running water.

The dedication of teachers not paid for six months and still trying to do their job with no materials at all was unbelievable. Although not all the children had shoes, most of the township children wore school uniform - and smiles - big, big smiles.