SAMRO HITS HIGH NOTES

Through its Endowment for the National Arts, SAMRO has injected more than R50-million into music education in South Africa since 1962.

SENA’s annual Overseas Scholarships competition is the country’s largest music education award, with two recipients each receiving R160,000 (plus R10,000 for travel expenses) to study towards a postgraduate music qualification at an international tertiary institution.

Every year, the competition rotates among keyboard players, instrumentalists, composers and singers. Since it started in 1962, 60 scholarships have been awarded, contributing significantly to the development of the country’s future music luminaries.

In 2011, it is the turn of singers to dazzle with their vocal prowess, and the gala evening on September 3 at the Linder Auditorium will see four candidates (in the Jazz/Popular Music and Western Art Music genres) competing for the two coveted scholarships.

In addition, every year since 1981 SENA has awarded a number of bursaries to deserving students who are studying music full-time at one of South Africa’s universities. In 2011, 117 SAMRO Music Study Bursaries, collectively worth more than R1-million, were handed out to students showing merit and promise in various music fields.

“Since we started the bursary scheme 30 years ago, SAMRO has awarded 1 404 bursaries to help students with their tuition fees,” says André le Roux, General Manager: SAMRO Endowment for the National Arts. “These bursaries, scholarships and other sponsorships collectively add up to more than R50-million that SAMRO has invested in music education since its inception. Supporting educated artists who understand their craft certainly makes the long-term value of these grants to the country and the industry tangible.”

Many students who receive SAMRO bursaries go on to do well in SAMRO’s annual Overseas Scholarships Competition. Both music awards have already yielded several music luminaries and Standard Bank Young Artist winners, and serve as an important stepping stone to a sustainable professional music career.

SAMRO further supports these musicians throughout their career trajectory by commissioning original compositions – a total of 371 to date – which add to the country’s music canon while providing much-needed work and income for composers.

“We have built valuable relationships with students, musicians and educational institutions over the decades, and now have a large family of SAMRO alumni,” says Le Roux.

For more information on the SAMRO Endowment for the National Arts, visit www.sena.org.za or e-mail sena@samro.org.za