Music tutors from all over South Africa are booked for their society’s annual congress at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre in Parow from 25 to 28 March. The underlying theme is the sustainability of music as profession and the presenters include some of SA’s prominent composers, musicians and leaders in the profession. 
As host the retiring president of the SASMT, Leon Hartshorne, director of Hugo Lambrechts, extends an open invitation to all members of the society and non-members involved in music tuition to join their counterparts at the discussions and other events.
“This may well initiate a new perspective on music as profession and re-energise themselves to shape South Africa’s emerging talent and partner them on the road to maturity,” he said.
The general public and music students are also welcome to attend the bursary winners’ concert at 19:00 on 26 March.
Apart from closed meetings of SASMT’s financial committee and national board on 25 March, the actual congress takes its course the next day with the AGM at 08:30. This is followed at 14:00 by the official opening and the first presentations.
A lecture on copy right by SAMRO is first in line followed by a group discussion on new compositions and improvisations by the SA Society of Composers, with Prof. Zelda Potgieter from UPE as convenor.
At 19:00 the first day’s programme comes to an end with the presidential address and the bursary winners’ concert by two Cape pianists, Eben Wagenstroom (winner of the Gladwell Bursary and of the 2012 Artscape National Youth Music Competition and François Botha, winner of the Kathleen Irish Bursary.
The congress continues on 27 March with presentations by the pianist Mario Nel l from US (performance practice), Engela Fullard (the Sibelius Computer Programme), Prof. Virginia Davids from UCT (The Voice as a career in Music), Arisa Voges (Unisa’s new music syllabi), Laurika Steenkamp (Music@work) and a panel discussion “Music, does it pay? “ with Prof. Franklin Larey from UCT as convenor.
A post conference meeting of the new national council on Wednesday 28 March will conclude proceedings.
Full particulars and a registration form can be downloaded from www.sasmt-savmo.org.za . Direct enquiries to Kathleen du Plessis at clay.kathleen@gmail.com (074 154 8689) or to Elma Britz at britz@lantic.net (082 673 0532).