Artist headed for Big Apple

Scholarship and bursary take musician on to greater heights

UMLAZI’S upcoming jazz artist Linda Sikhakhane is off to the Big Apple later this month to further his studies after winning a Southern African Music Rights Organisation scholarship.

The R200 000 scholarship winner said he was excited about going to New York as it was an opportunity to grow as an artist.

Sikhakhane currently holds a diploma in jazz/pop music from the University of Kwazulu-natal and will be spending the next four years studying towards a bachelor of fine arts, focusing on jazz, at The New School University.

“The scholarship is obviously not enough to study and live in New York, but I was lucky that the university also gave me a $20 000 (R270 000) bursary. Now I’m just knocking on doors to raise more funds so that I don’t starve while I’m over there,” he said.

The 25-year-old’s passion for music began when he was 11 while at Clairwood Boys Primary school. However he said his skills were sharpened by attending classes under the tutelage of influential Durban artists Dr Brian Thusi and Khulekani Bhengu at the Siyakhula Music School in umlazi. Founded by Thusi in 1986, the school teaches children classical music and jazz.

“The exposure to the jazz scene that I got when I was at Siyakhula played a huge role in the artist that I am today. Bab’ Thusi had me playing in professional gigs while I was in high school, so that really helped me see what the life of an artist is like and also taught me discipline,” Sikhakhane said.

The saxophonist, composer and arranger also spent time learning under Werner Dannewits at the Durban Music School, which helped him get into the KZN Wind Youth Band. He said he enjoyed his experience travelling internationally with the band and that was when he made his decision to pursue music as a career.

After his graduation in 2012 he moved to Johannesburg and got together with his friends Senzo Ngcobo and Sithembiso Bhengu to start a horn section band called the H3.

“It was through the help of Nduduzo Mkhathini who showed us the ropes when we got to Johannesburg that we were able to put together our band,” Sikhakhane said.

Mkhathini is an SA Music Award-winning artist from Pietermaritzburg.

In June Sikhakhane released his debut album entitled Two Sides One Mirror, which he said is “a reflection of the past not determining, but inspiring the future”.

“I really wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for all the people who have taken time to teach me about music, from my time as a kid until now. But most credit goes to my family, especially my parents Gugu and Mbongeleni, who taught me how to love. They’ve given me all the support in what I do and what I wish to do,” he said.