Melodi Music Trust have performed at St Peter’s Church, Eaton Square, and St George’s, Hanover Square, in London
Music Projects
Aiming high
Melodi Music Trust, Soweto
Melodi Music was founded by Nimrod Moloto in 2002 to bring music to the children of Soweto, South Africa. Based in a church in the Pimville area of Soweto, it has 35 students between the ages of seven and 20.
The children start by playing recorders before progressing to woodwind instruments, with the more advanced pupils receiving one-to-one tuition every week. The project’s teachers are professional musicians working in nearby Johannesburg, as well as visiting teachers from overseas who stay to work with the project for extended periods.
Teenagers in Soweto face many problems. Melodi offers the children a secure, safe environment in which to learn and play. They are encouraged to aim high in life, with confidence and a positive attitude. They perform regularly. Musequality helped promote two concerts for Melodi Music during their 2009 visit to London as well as providing instruments and a grant.
Like many organisations of its kind, Melodi is bursting at the seams – it needs rehearsal space, teaching rooms and storage space for its instruments and music library.
‘The streets of Soweto are vibrating with an enormous amount of energy from the children. Little souls playing on the streets ’til late at night, always looking for something to do to occupy their minds. All they need is proper guidance. My aim is to provide the children with an opportunity to grow through music. I hope that music will be an element of their lives which can inspire them to become better people, regardless of whether they want to become artists, doctors, teachers or accountants. It is for this reason that Melodi Music Trust was founded.’
Nimrod Moloto Director and Founder of Melodi Music Trust