Makudu Senaoana

As a graduate of the South African College of Music (SACM), at The University of Cape Town (UCT), Makudupanyane Senaoana has had the pleasure of being trained in vocal studies by well-known teachers, Professor Kamal Khan and Hanna van Niekerk. Further training saw the young tenor working with Josef Protschka, as a result of having won the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival’s “International study award”. This award allows its recipients to move to Germany, and to study at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz for at least a year. Senaoana is also a graduate of the world-renowned Drakensberg Boys Choir School, where as a senior, he served the choir as musical leader.

Other training prospects saw Senaoana working with the Glimmerglass Festival as a 2012 Young Artist, where he was seen on the main stage as Absalom Kumalo in Lost In The Stars, and as an understudy of the role Le Chevalier Danois, in Jean Baptiste Lully’s Armide. In 2013 Makudupanyane was one of the young artists chosen for Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Vocal Academy and in 2015, he served and was educated as a fellow of the Steans Music Institute, at the famous Ravinia Festival in Chicago.

The young tenor is the recipient of various prizes and honors:
In 2020 he was the winner of the 3rd prize in the International Grand Prix of Romania, as well and the Giovanni Consiglio International Opera Competition, Hosted by Teatro Grattacielo and Camerata Bardi Academy. In 2016, he won the first prize in the Voices of South Africa International Opera Competition, live in Durban where he was also awarded the Artsong and African song prizes. In 2013, Senaoana was the first prize winner of the Olitalia/Rialto study award, at UCT. The tenor has been a finalist of the SAMRO international scholarship competition twice, in 2015 and in 2019.

When it comes to stage experience, Senaoana began his stage career with the role of Tom Rakewell, in the Rake’s Progress with UCT Opera School. He has gone on to perform a multitude of roles from various composers including but not limited to: Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Monteverdi, Verdi and Strauss. He has performed on professional operatic stages in South Africa, France, Germany, Spain, England, America and various other countries and cities.