Die Frank Pietersen Musieksentrum : historiese agtergrond en ontwikkelingsbydrae tot die gemeenskap

Date
2013-03
Authors
Coetzee, Petrus Jacobus
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nowadays Music Community Projects are a common phenomenon in South Africa. These projects start with great ambition to uplift underprivileged communities through music education, but due to various reasons many of these projects unfortunately do not last very long. The Frank Pietersen Music Centre (FPMC) in Paarl, which recently celebrated its fortieth year, suffered many drawbacks during its existence, but also showed unbelievable progress during the same time. At the moment the FPMC is a noticeable institution and the only one of its nature in the Drakenstein district. The centre was established in the Paarl Coloured community during the early years of Apartheid as a result of a shortage of music facilities for this population group. As music was one of the few activities in which this population group could express themselves during this time, various music activities resulted and the need for formal music education for the Paarl Coloured community became more prominent. Mr Frank Pietersen took notice of this need and in 1970 he established the Paarl Schools Music Centre (PSMC). This music centre showed immense progress, but as a result of various reasons it started declining during the late eighties and finally in 1988 it experienced a period of recess. After Mr Pietersen's death in 1989, his son, Mr Vaughan Pietersen, decided to let the PSMC relive. In October 1991 the PSMC celebrated its 21st year and at this occasion it was renamed after its founder and was known thereafter as the Frank Pietersen Music Centre. Since, the centre has reached many milestones and its existence was ensured when it was taken over by the Western Cape Education Department in 1994. At the moment the FPMC provides music education to children and adults, in and outside the borders of the Drakenstein area. Education is provided in nearly all the instruments of the Classical Symphony Orchestra, as well as African instruments and Jazz instruments. It has various instrumental ensembles and choirs and the FPMC is especially well known for its Youth Orchestra. The centre also provides for the needs of the surrounding underprivileged communities by means of outreach programmes that are presented at reasonable fees. The latest addition to the centre's education is the presentation of the full Subject Music programme for scholars and it forms part of the Western Cape Education Department's programme for Further Education and Training. This thesis attempts to research and document the unique history of the FPMC, as well as studying the current functioning of the centre in order to serve as a guide and motivation for other music centres or -projects of a similar nature.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Musiekgemeenskapsprojekte is deesdae ʼn algemene verskynsel in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie projekte begin gewoonlik met groot ambisie met die doel om minderbevoorregte gemeenskappe deur middel van musiekonderrig op te hef, maar as gevolg van verskeie redes gaan baie daarvan net so vinnig weer tot niet. Die Paarlse Frank Pietersen Musieksentrum (FPMS) wat onlangs sy veertigste bestaansjaar gevier het, het tydens sy bestaan deur diep waters gegaan, maar terselfdertyd ook vooruitgegaan. Tans is die FPMS ʼn gerekende instelling en die enigste van sy aard in die Drakensteindistrik. Die sentrum het tydens die vroeë Apartheidsjare in die Paarlse Bruin gemeenskap ontstaan, as gevolg van ʼn tekort aan musiekfasiliteite vir hierdie bevolkingsgroep. Aangesien musiek in daardie tyd een van die min aktiwiteite was waarin hierdie bevolkingsgroep hulself kon uitdruk, het daar verskeie musikale aktiwiteite ontstaan en het die behoefte aan formele musiekonderrig vir die Paarlse Bruin gemeenskap al hoe groter geraak. Mnr. Frank Pietersen het hierdie behoefte raakgesien en het in 1970 die Paarl Skole-Musieksentrum (PSMS) gestig. Hierdie musieksentrum het sterk ontwikkeling getoon, maar as gevolg van verskeie redes het dit in die laat tagtiger jare agteruitgegaan en het uiteindelik in 1988 ʼn periode van reses beleef. Na mnr. Pietersen se dood in 1989, het sy seun, mnr. Vaughan Pietersen besluit om die PSMS te laat herleef. Die PSMS het in Oktober 1991 sy 21ste bestaansjaar gevier en is by hierdie geleentheid vernoem na sy stigter en staan sedertdien bekend as die Frank Pietersen Musieksentrum. Sedertdien het die sentrum vele mylpale bereik en sy voortbestaan is verseker deur die oorname daarvan deur die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement in 1994. Tans bied die FPMS musiekonderrig aan skoliere èn volwassenes, binne en buite die grense van die Drakensteingebied. Onderrig word aangebied in byna al die instrumente van die Klassieke simfonie-orkes, asook Afrika-instrumente en Jazz-instrumente. Daar bestaan verskeie instrumentale ensembles en kore en die FPMS is veral bekend vir sy Jeugorkes. Die sentrum sien ook om na die behoeftes van die omliggende minderbevoorregte gemeenskappe deur middel van uitreikprogramme wat teen billike tariewe aangebied word. Die nuutste toevoeging tot die sentrum se onderrig is die aanbieding van die volwaardige Vakmusiekprogram vir skoliere, wat ook deel vorm van die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement se program vir Verdere Onderrig en Opleiding. Met hierdie tesis is gepoog om die unieke geskiedenis van die FPMS so deeglik as moontlik na te vors en op skrif te stel, asook om die huidige funksionering van die sentrum te belig sodat dit as riglyn en aanmoediging kan dien vir ander musieksentra of -projekte van ʼn soortgelyke aard.
Description
Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
Keywords
Frank Pietersen Music Centre, Music community project, Coloured identity, Paarl Coloured Community, Dissertations -- Music, Theses -- Music
Citation