The five musicians spend 10 weeks working with their soloists in a mentorship programme in preparation for the concert directed by Tiffin, the head of Jazz singing at the University of Cape Town’s College of Music.
Read about three of the featuring soloists, Etuk Ubong, Emma de Goede and Thembelihle Dunjana below.
Currently a student at the University of Cape Town’s South African College of Music, Etuk Ubong has travelled the world as a trumpeter and flugelhorn. His academic record includes studies in jazz and classical music at the Peter King College of Music and the MUSON School of Music in Nigeria as well as qualifications from Berklee College of Music’s online programme and Trinity College. As a member of the International Trumpet Guild, Etuk represented Africa at the guild’s 2015 Conference in the Unites States, before performing alongside Jamie Cullum at the London Jazz Festival later that year. His recently formed quartet has already played the Lagos Jazz Festival among other shows across the city.
Cape Town born vocalist and pianist, Emma de Goede, is currently completing her fourth and final year of studies towards a BMus Jazz Performance degree at UCT’s South African College of Music. As previous member of the Pro Cantu Youth Choir (now the Cape Town Youth Choir), Emma has gone on to become a member of the UCT Jazz Voices Ensemble under the baton of Amanda Tiffin, as well as a featured soloist for the UCT Big Band. Besides her solo performances at jazz clubs around Cape Town, Emma has founded the melodic rock duo, Emerger, who won the Avid and Abbey Road International Song Contest hosted by Talenthouse, as well as the acapella group AnecNote.
Third year UCT Jazz Piano student Thembelihle dunjana was just 11 when she started playing on her five-octave Casio keyboard. She studied music in primary and high school, where she played for her school’s big band. In 2012 Thembelihle got her first opportunity to perform at the Grahamstown Youth Jazz Festival, performing with the UCT Big Band and the Cape Town Jazz Quartet.
