Soweto Youth and Symphony Orchestras

Matlhaela Michael Masote founded the first black youth orchestra – the Soweto Youth Orchestra, now the Soweto Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra gave birth to the Soweto String Quartet, one of the most internationally acclaimed classical groups to come out of South Africa. Koloane Mantu, Prince Lengoasa and Kutlwano Masote are other musical successes the orchestra has produced.

The orchestra is made up of 40 players from the Soweto music conservatoire run by the African Cultural Organisation of South Africa (ACOSA). Michael is the conductor. This group performs locally and outside the boarders of SA. Music played includes serious classics, African classics, and accompanies choirs in works like G Handel's ‘Messiah’ and J Witty's ‘From Manger to Cross’. The Orchestra breaks into smaller ensembles and the most successful is the Soweto Youth String Quartet which performs at corporate, government and social events.