Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
THE MAGIC FLUTE
Khanyisile Mthetwa didn’t choose the flute, the flute chose her. Today she is a professional flautist who plays in the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (principal flute) as well as the head of woodwinds at The Ridge School. We spoke to her about how technology fits into her life, pandemic and all.
Popular Mechanics: As a professional flautist, how does technology fit into your life?
Khanyisile Mthetwa: Technology, for me, has been a real game changer. I am grateful for all the online platforms that we have – Zoom, Google Classroom, FaceTime. Without these, I wouldn’t have been able to make a living since March 2020 when the whole entertainment industry came to a grinding halt. Everything went from postponed to cancelled … but I’ve embraced technology and learnt so much.
PM: What is something that has surprised you?
KM: There have been free masterclasses from people you would usually have had to pay thousands and thousands of rands, get on a plane, and pay for accommodation and visas to see. They’re now on your laptop, and I’ve had access to some really amazing teachers who I wouldn’t have been able to learn from before.
PM: Are there any particular music-streaming sites you enjoy?
KM: YouTube Music! I have Premium, which gives me access to YouTube Music and it’s something I can’t live without. My download list is quite extensive and with my trio, Savanna Winds, we released an album last year and we actually haven’t done any physical copies – everything is on iTunes and Spotify. PM: How has the coronavirus pandemic changed how you teach? And where does tech fit in?
KM: I haven’t seen my students in person since March last year. The flute is a wind instrument that you blow, and you tell a student to blow, so with the air circulation, the potential of getting exposed to COVID-19 is very high. All my teaching has been online and I’ve had to incorporate tech a lot – I have an iPad, two laptops, a camera, a microphone, you name it! It was quite an investment for me, money-wise, but I’m grateful that I was still able to earn a living.
The advantages of technological teaching for a woodwind instrument, and getting kids to play with a backing track, is different to a piano. Unlike a live pianist who can wait and move with you, the timing on a backing track is set, so you have to play 100 per cent accurately.
PM: How do you think technology will change classical music going forward?
KM: The classical world cannot ignore technology. Top orchestras that have not embraced tech over the past year have furloughed all their staff, had minimal online activity, and are really suffering and feeling the brunt of the pandemic. Technology will change everything. It’s a much more competitive world and you cannot just think ‘I’m just in Joburg, I’m playing for my crowd’ anymore. Now your videos are online, on YouTube and Facebook, and people are having to choose between watching the Berlin Philharmonic or your orchestra – these are options they didn’t really have before!