UKZN alumnus Mr Bethuel Tshoane (lead guitar) won second place at the 3rd Unisa National Strings Competition that showcases the talent and experience of young South African classical and jazz string players.
The competition, held at the Z K Matthews Great Hall in Pretoria, had two categories: classical (violin/cello) and jazz (guitar/bass). Tshoane took home a prize of R50 000.
‘It feels surreal to win. Competing with fellow musicians on its own has been a great achievement. This motivates me to continue working on my craft. I entered the competition to not only expand my learning experience but to use this opportunity to showcase my music talent,’ he said.
Tshoane competed in four rounds from performing jazz ballads to contemporary jazz and original compositions. ‘I went out of my comfort zone and strove for my best performance in every round. Competitions like these are vital to every aspiring musician because they are exposed to the educational spectrum, and the music industry as a whole,’ he added.
His advice to aspiring musicians is, ‘to encourage fellow performers to work hard on our crafts and stay positive in all that we do.’
