Teen shares love of music
FORMER Port Elizabeth teenager Neo Motsatse is a living example that when you know who you are, and have a clear vision for your life, great things will happen to you regardless of your age.
Born in Port Elizabeth and raised in Johannesburg, Neo, 15, first picked up a violin at the age of six.
Now in the early stages of her five-city national tour, Neo is heading back to the city of her birth to perform a solo concert in partnership with Nedbank. The concert is called Making
Things Happen and will take place on Freedom Day on Monday at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
While in the city Neo also intends giving back to her peers.
“When I’m in Port Elizabeth for the concert, I’ll be visiting a couple of schools there, namely Imbasa Primary School in Motherwell, Ebongweni Primary School in Kwazakhele and a primary school in Uitenhage.
“But I’ll also be visiting the Missionvale Care Centre to give back and do some community work while there,” she said.
The talented young violinist said the aim of visiting the schools was to inspire and educate youngsters about music and share the message that, if she could do it, so could they.
“I want to expose other children to the violin as an instrument and how music can improve their lives by inspiring them with something to look forward to instead of giving in or succumbing to peer pressure,” she said.
Neo and her mother and manager, Fezeka Motsatse, were recently in a car accident on one of their trips to Nelson Mandela Bay. Thankfully, she was not injured.
“It was a very scary experience. We were driving down to Port Elizabeth to perform at a concert when it happened.
“It was confusing because it happened so fast but luckily I didn’t sustain any injuries – just a minor headache a couple of days after the accident, which my doctor treated immediately.”
Neo’s five-city tour includes Johannesburg, where she kicked off the tour on March 28, East London, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and lastly Bloemfontein where she will be closing off the tour in June.
One might wonder where she gets the time for all these performances during school hours, but Neo began home schooling in 2013 to focus more on her music and mastering her instrument.
This, Fezeka said, had been a decision which the family did not take lightly.
“It was always our dream as parents that Neo should learn a musical instrument, so when she developed a love for the violin, we decided that was it.
“She was seven when she won her first trophy for Promising String Player and that’s when her father and I took note that she has what it takes,” Fezeka said.
Over the years, the young musician has shared the stage with the likes of violinist Samson Diamond, cellist Kutlwano Masote, accordionist Sergio Zampolli, bassist Victor Masondo and singer Sibongile Khumalo.
The violinist said her eightyear-old pianist sister Teboho and flautist Keenan Meyer would be joining her on stage on Monday as would a group of Booysen Park Primary School pupils.
The concert starts at 4pm at the NMMU South Campus Auditorium. Tickets cost R100 for adults and R50 for scholars.
Johannesburg-based Neo said audiences could expect a fresh, fun sound and an experience of classical symphonies like many had not heard before.
For concert and ticket information, contact Fezeka Motsatse on 082-784-2585 or e-mail fezeka.mot
satse@vodamail.co.za or fezeka.motsatse@gmail.com