THE Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation has announced the arrival of recipients of its heritage scholarship at Manhattan School Music (MSM) in New York, USA.
Alto saxophonist Simon Nyivana (23) and pianist Lifa Arosi (32) are the new inductees, who will study during the 2021/2022 academic year.
The Hugh Masekela Heritage Scholarship provides an opportunity for talented musicians from Mzansi to study at MSM, one of the world’s leading schools of the arts. It has seen musicians like Dave Grusin, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Larry Willis and Max Roach studying there, among others.
Bra Hugh, as he was affectionately known, also did his studies in classical trumpet in the early 1960s at the school. Simon from Tembisa in Ekurhuleni said he worked hard to get the scholarship.
“I was raised by my gogo and worked extra jobs to help pay for our living expenses. Eventually, I was able to secure freelance performance gigs to make extra money,” he said.
“I went to Johnny Mekoa’s Gauteng Music Academy where my teacher Khaya Mahlangu, who is another close musical compatriot of Hugh’s, spoke constantly about his legacy, South African jazz and its contribution to the lives of many people. This motivation has always guided my artistic practice and inspired me to apply to MSM,” he said.
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Simon said that he applied for the scholarship because he wanted to improve lives through art.Lifa, born and raised in Joburg, said his audition video was filmed in a busy shopping centre.
“I was raised by a single mother and without an instrument at home, I had to find places to practise around my community. I’ve been surrounded by musicians all my life, despite my financial straits. And I spent self-motivated time transcribing records and playing with recordings.” He enrolled at a music school shortly after high school, but that did not work out.
“I was admitted twice to Berklee College of Music, but was unable to afford it. Fortunately, I earned the highest score of any jazz piano applicant in the 2021 MSM applicant pool. This made me one of the top applicants for the jazz department and an obvious choice for the scholarship,” he said.
Simon and Lifa will be joining returning students Nhlanhla Mahlangu (alto saxophone), Zeke le Grange (tenor saxophone), Kabelo Mokhatla (drums), Zoe Molelekwa (piano) and Danno Petersen (drums).
