Rebecca Jackman
A CAPE TOWN pupil went from singing with his friends to winning a national opera competition with just a few months of training.
Mziwamadoda Nodlayiya, from Oaklands High School in Lansdowne, has been awarded the title of national champion in the category of Tenor Opera Solo at the 2014 South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod.
Now 18 years old, he was “born and raised” in Gugulethu and started singing church music in primary school, but it wasn’t until his school started a choir in March that he discovered his love, and talent, for singing opera.
In matric, he had planned to study law at UCT next year, but with his new-found talent he has decided to study music.
Teacher Estelle Jansen recognised his talent and passion for singing in a group of about 15 pupils.
She decided to start a choir and enlisted UCT student Xolani Madalane to take the role of choir master.
“We had so many talented learners, but no outlet for them,” said Jansen.
Madalane is completing his third honours at UCT, but spends his afternoons and weekends training the new school choir voluntarily. When he first arrived at Oaklands he decided he needed at least 50 pupils – far more than the initial 15 – to create the type of choir he wanted.
When Madalane took on a part in an opera in Pretoria, he handed his role over to third-year UCT student Samukelo Mhlongo and together, the pair now work as joint choir masters.
The choir won the first district round, but when they lost in the provincial round in May, the soloists continued to compete in their categories. Nodlayiya became the pride of his school when he first won the district round of the competition and then came second in the tenor solo category in the Western Cape.
He was confident because he “had the voice”, but it was hard to learn an Italian solo in just two months.
And when the pupil who won the provincial round dropped out due to initiation, Jansen chased Nodlayiya to his bus stop to tell him the good news. Only provincial winners go through to compete nationally. As a result of the forfeit, Nodlayiya competed at the national competition, where he won.
Another Oaklands solo tenor, Vuyisa Xipu, came second in the district round of the competition so all eyes are on him for next year’s Eisteddfod.
“He’s going to win next year,” Madalane said confidently.