The Cape Music Institute closes its doors

The Cape Music Institute (CMI) at the Athlone Stadium is temporarily closing down. Picture: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)

The Cape Music Institute (CMI) at the Athlone Stadium is temporarily closing down. Picture: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)

Published May 16, 2021

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The Cape Music Institute (CMI) has announced that it will be temporarily closing its doors.

On Monday, May 10, the school sent a letter to students, parents and stakeholders informing them of the decision to shut down and explained: “The current environment has impacted operations drastically and the institution has significantly experienced a downturn in business, revenue received from college fees and low student admissions for 2021.”

Established nearly a decade ago, the institute has produced dozens of artists including Tye Platinum, Robin Pieters and many more singers, keyboard players and musicians.

In February 2019, the institute was served with an eviction notice to vacate the premises they were occupying at Athlone Stadium as the City of Cape Town planned refurbishments to the office spaces there.

Chairperson of the institute’s board Craig Nel said this added to their woes.

“Our walls were broken down early last year already and we were not physically allowed into the building. When we started the year in February we only had one application for a new student and then we had our existing students,” said Nel.

One of the group’s former directors stepped down last year after charges of rape, grooming and sexually assaulting an underage boy emerged. That case is still ongoing, but no confirmation of a trial date has been set.

Nel said he cannot say whether this had done any reputational damage to the institution.

“I cannot measure whether it had an impact on people’s willingness to apply at the institution.

“I joined in September and at the time they were without any sort of leadership and as you know we were in the throws of Covid-19 as well so there was very little teaching happening at the time. The nature of our business was in-person learning. We did interesting online things just to get students through the year... to write exams.”

The institute was funded through student fees, sponsorships and government grants and Nel admits their finances had run out.

In the closure notice sent to parents, the institute’s management urged students to pay their outstanding fees.

The institute’s outreach programmes included providing opportunities to talented youngsters from underprivileged neighbourhoods in the Western Cape.

The institute had five permanent staff members and a cohort of teaching staff who were all on temporary contracts.

Although Nel reiterated that this would be a temporary closure, he could not confirm a date for when the institution would reopen and if it would still operate as it had been in the past.

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