Appendix 6 - International Music Council

Humanities of the University of Pretoria with the street children from the
Itumeleng shelter. Departments involved include Arts, Communication Pathology,
Criminology, Drama, various languages, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology and
Music. This co-ordinated approach has even been hailed by the World Health
Organisation as a possible model for dealing with street children all over the
world. Once a week the boys come to the University of Pretoria campus for a
morning of Art, Music as well as other learning or counselling activities in the
other involved Departments.
The four street children who are members of Palissander Samspel have been
taught to perform as African drummers by Prof. Meki Nzewi, the President of the
Pan-African Society for Musical Arts Education, who is currently Professor in
African Music—Theory and Practice at the Department of Music, University of
Pretoria.
The praise singer who is collaborating with Palissander and the street children is Prof. Themba
Msimang, who made history in 1992 by becoming the first black person to occupy a position of
Head of Department at the University of South Africa (UNISA), and again in March 1997 when
he became the first African to be appointed by UNISA as Registrar (Academic), albeit in an
acting capacity. He is one of the most prolific African authors and has received numerous
prestigious literary awards. Prof. Msimang acts as a praise singer in his free time.
Sponsors
Palissander Samspel’s participation in the ISME Conference has largely been made possible
through an agreement between the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation and the
Pan-African Society for Musical Arts Education aimed at achieving an African presence at the
conference.
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