Pioneer Masote leaves musical legacy
Teacher of choral and classical music to scores of people
The soothing sounds of symphonic classical music were silenced last Friday with the death of pioneer music teacher Matlhaela Michael Masote.
Masote took the family tradition of choral music to a new level after encountering orchestra music for the first time in 1950 at a concert of world-acclaimed violinist Yehudi Menuhin in Johannesburg.
Masote was born on January 7 1941 in Sophiatown, the sixth child of Sekolo and Esther Masote, whose home was a forte of choral music and learning.
He was lucky to witness Menuhin’s performance as the celebrated American violinist and conductor had insisted that he wanted to perform before a racially mixed audience.
His apartheid-defying gesture planted a classical music seed in then nine-year-old Masote, who went on to learn to play the violin. His first violin teacher was Jeffrey Diedericks with whom he joined the Ionian ensemble under Khabi Mngoma. He later went on to take violin lessons under Allan Solomon until he passed his violin teaching diploma exam in 1973 under the auspices of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
Earlier, in 1965, Masote had founded the Soweto Youth Orchestra at Uncle Tom’s Hall in Orlando West. Later on he founded the Soweto Symphony Orchestra.
In 1978, Masote conducted this orchestra at the inaugural Grahamstown Arts Festival. The following year he took the Soweto String Quartet to Aberdeen, Scotland, to perform at an international youth orchestra festival, resulting in Sandile Khemese and Kolwane Mantu being offered scholarships to study in the United Kingdom.
He remained loyal to choral music. He trained many choirs and choirmasters and was a highly rated adjudicator at competitions and eisteddfods, including Ford Choirs (now the National Choir Festival).
This space is not enough for Masote’s eulogy in full, however the world should know that just as he was assisted as a child, Masote was truly passionate about developing the youth. From Johannesburg to Mmabatho, he was hands on in teaching, guiding and conducting youth ensembles.
Masote’s children have also benefited and have carved careers in music.
A dedicated family man, Masote adored his wife Sheila, who was the daughter of struggle icon and PAC leader Zeph Mothopeng.
Masote died of heart failure aged 76 and was buried yesterday. He is survived by his wife, sister Girly, daughter Neo, sons Kutlwano and Zeph, and five grandchildren, Joshua, Pendo, Serena, Kago and Atang.