In 2007 Kronendal Music Academy was formed to address the ongoing lack of cultural stimulation which faces the youth and the community as a whole in Hout Bay. KMA's main focus has always been to provide music education in as many forms and styles as possible to Hout Bay's under-privileged and economically challenged communities, while fostering a platform from which to initiate racial and social interaction and integration amongst the three very distinct communities in the area:
- Imizamu Yethu informal settlement
- The Hangberg fishing village
- The affluent 'valley' residents
While there are many professionals from various walks of life involved in the administration, funding and development of the Academy, the nature of our specific organisation is that it requires a creative and innovative approach in order to secure a viable future which helps to realise the vision of the KMA family.
Starting from scratch, KMA initiated individual music tuition, group activities, ensembles, workshops and community events, as well as a Youth Choir of 65 pupils. Since day one, all of our activities have successfully united members from the three areas and the Academy has become synonymous with integration development.
At any given time we have a minimum of 40 individual learners in lessons with teachers who specialize in cello, violin, classical guitar, rock and jazz guitar, piano, vocal training, recorder, drum kit, flute, clarinet, saxophones, trumpet and trombone. The methodology is designed to be fluid and adapts to the needs of the learners and logistical challenges of the community at large. We have managed to maintain our initial activities and develop to a point where we are also currently offering various ensemble projects, workshops, weekly community singing evenings and regular performances.
This is where we stand at the moment, but as adequate funding is accumulated we aim to provide a much wider range of platforms for musical development, integration, exploration and expression.
Presently we have the kind support of the Anglican Diocese, Sijonga Pambili Adult Education Centre and a local primary school who have made their premises available to us. As we continue to grow, however, our vision is to create a building containing everything from practise rooms and recording facilities to a versatile performance space.
To date we would not have been able to survive without the support of companies and individuals locally and internationally, but in order for KMA to continue to expand and be a valuable contributor to society we need increased sponsorship...
