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TheSouth African College of Music, abbreviated asSACM, is a department of the Faculty of Humanities at theUniversity of Cape Town. It is located on the university's Lower Campus inRondebosch,Cape Town.
The South African College of Music was founded by a group of musicians led by Madame Apolline Niay-Darroll and opened in 1910 inStrand Street, Cape Town, with six students. In 1912 MrWilliam Henry Bell was appointed Principal and, in 1914, the SACM moved to larger premises in Stal Plein.
In 1920 Mr Bell was made Professor of Music at theUniversity of Cape Town, where he held classes for degree courses. In 1923 the SACM was incorporated into the university and Professor Bell became dean of the Faculty of Music. In 1999 the Faculty of Music was absorbed into the Faculty of Humanities.
Strubenholm, previously the private residence inRosebank ofHenry Struben, has been home to the SACM since 1925. It now houses administrative offices and lecture rooms as well as an exhibition hall for the world-renowned Kirby Collection of African, European and Asian instruments.
Two new buildings, linked to Strubenholm, were completed at the end of 1972. These contain the 160-seat Chisholm Recital Room; an opera studio, the Fiasconaro Room; nearly 100 teaching studios and practising rooms; and the W.H. Bell Music Library, which houses a range of reference and text books, periodicals, scores and records. In addition there are recording and electronic music studios and a listening laboratory.
The 638-seat Concert Hall in the adjacentBaxter Theatre Centre, with itsVon Beckerath organ, is an important performing and teaching venue for the SACM.
The South African College of Music offers training in a range oforchestral instruments,piano,voice,African music andjazz. The college boasts severalstring,wind, jazz andpercussionensembles as well aschoirs, a symphony orchestra and abig band. In addition the Opera School annually presents a season ofopera performances. All students are required either to play in the orchestras or bands or sing in the choirs, at the discretion of the director.
Students who completediploma ordegree courses are ready to enter the profession of music either as teachers, singers or instrumentalists inWestern classical music, jazz or African music anddance. Careers open to diplomates and graduates include orchestral playing, opera andoratorio singing, programme compiling for broadcasting networks,librarianship,performance, andeducation.
The wide range of postgraduate programmes offered includes:ethnomusicology; performance studies inWestern classical music,African music and jazz;musicology (theory and history); andcomposition.
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