SAMRO's boost for future music stars

A total of 195 applications were received for this year's bursaries, submitted by prospective and existing undergraduate and postgraduate students who are pursuing full-time music studies at various South African tertiary institutions.

Of those applicants, 113 candidates succeeded on merit following evaluation by a panel of adjudicators. Each was awarded a R10 000 bursary towards their tuition fees.

In the General Music study category, 71 bursaries were awarded in the following music genres: Western Art (47), Jazz (20) and Indigenous African music (4).

Fifteen bursaries were granted for Music Education studies, and 19 for Composition studies (the latter being awarded to third- and fourth-year students, as well as to Honours and Masters candidates).

30 applications were received for Music Composition - which bodes well for the future of original, homegrown compositions, whether they be scores for film, television or other media, advertising jingles or recorded music.

African musical influences

In the area of Indigenous African music research, eight postgraduate bursaries were awarded. This is an avenue of study that the SAMRO Foundation is keen to promote.

A student who received a 2012 bursary for research into Indigenous African music, Maxine Roberts from Pretoria University, wrote to SAMRO expressing her gratitude for contributing towards her Masters degree research into African musical influences on, and infusions in, the popular music of the United States, 1950-2000.

"SAMRO's support is invaluable to me, and in turn I hope that the results of my research project will spark interest in and encourage further research into the contribution of African indigenous music and musicians," she wrote.

Students at the University of Cape Town claimed the lion's share of the 2012 SAMRO music bursaries (32), with North West University, the University of Pretoria and the University of Stellenbosch also faring well with 14 recipients apiece.

Other institutions whose students benefited from the 2012 SAMRO music study awards were the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (12), Tshwane University of Technology (8), University of Fort Hare (1), University of KwaZulu-Natal (9), Rhodes University (3), University of Venda (1) and the University of the Witwatersrand (5).

This marks the third consecutive year that SAMRO has awarded in excess of R1-million in music study bursaries. Since 1981, the music rights organisation has awarded 1 517 such bursaries, and has pumped more than R50-million into music education through this scheme and other initiatives such as its annual overseas scholarships competition.

For more, go to www.sena.org.za.