More Than Music: How Empangeni High School Is Shaping Young Lives
In this interview, I speak with Andre Visser, Head of Music at Empangeni High School in South Africa, about a school where music has become much more than an extracurricular activity. It has become an important part of the school’s identity and its approach to educating young people.
Empangeni High School’s celebrated music programme has gained national recognition and, through the school’s unique Education Village model, is now reaching towards international opportunities. Andre tells me about the school’s choir, its remarkable successes and the incredible dedication of the learners who make it possible. The choir is currently raising funds to participate in the World Choir Games in Austria in 2027, an opportunity that would give these young singers the chance to perform on an international stage.
One particularly special aspect of the choir is that its conductor is none other than the school’s Headmaster, Dr Desmond Sizwe Zwane. Andre shares what this means for the choir and speaks about the commitment and enthusiasm of the students.
We also talk about the school’s orchestras and the eagerness of the learners to discover the world of instrumental music. But perhaps most importantly, Andre explains what students gain from being involved in music. Learning an instrument, singing in a choir, performing together and studying music develops much more than musical ability. It encourages discipline, concentration, listening, creativity, confidence, teamwork and perseverance. These skills can support students far beyond the music classroom, and it is striking that many of the learners involved in the music programme are also high achievers academically.
This is something I find particularly inspiring. Music education is not separate from education; it can become a way of teaching young people how to think, listen, collaborate, solve problems and commit themselves to something over time. It gives them a space to express themselves while also learning the responsibility of being part of something larger than themselves.
Hearing about Empangeni High School’s holistic approach to education made me very excited. The impact reaches beyond the individual learners and into the wider community, where families and supporters are coming together to encourage and sustain these young people.
I sincerely hope that the choir will be able to raise the funds needed to come to Austria for the World Choir Games in 2027. Not only would this give them international exposure, but more importantly, it would give these dedicated and talented young learners an experience they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Every artist has a story worth hearing.
Support the Choir:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/empangeni-high-school-choir
The Inspiration by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/