“Music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else, can have in common”

The construction of the Imbewu Music Centre is one of the largest projects the school has undertaken in recent years. The Centre provides teachers and pupils alike with a modern facility for the nurturing and advancement of Westerford’s many talented musicians. Although the opportunity and option to select Music as a subject or extramural enrichment is available to all pupils, to many families the option is simply not possible, due to financial constraints. The school employs numerous talented instrument and voice teachers to facilitate the lessons required, the cost of which is recovered with a termly fee to parents of Music pupils.

Westerford’s increasing focus on diversity, inclusivity and transformation has led us to a conviction that subject and extramural choice should not be determined by financial status but should rather be based on the pupil’s interest and enthusiasm, skills and potential. The School is launching a funding initiative to enable us to offer Music opportunities to pupils whose families are not in a financial position to afford lessons, whether those lessons be for Music taken as a subject, or taken as an enriching extramural activity. Funds through this initiative will go not only towards the costs of lessons, but also towards the provision of instruments which the Department loans to pupils.

The School will launch a second Music funding initiative at the end of the year for the same cause by way of creating an annual VIP Music Membership which will include recognition on a framed certificate in the Music Centre, and VIP school concert tickets.