Todd Matshikiza
Encyclopedia
Todd Tozama Matshikiza was a South Africa
n jazz
pianist
, composer
and journalist
.
and went on to obtain a diploma
in music and a teaching diploma. He then taught English
and Mathematics
in Alice
until 1947. During this period, Matshikiza composed songs and choral works; in particular Hamba Kahle, now a standard South Africa piece.
Matshikiza moved to Johannesburg in 1947 where he got married in 1950. He taught for a while and opened the Todd Matshikiza School of Music, a private music school, where he taught the piano. His main interest was jazz. As this didn’t bring in a regular income, he worked in a bookshop and then as a salesman.
From 1949 to 1954, Matshikiza was a committee member of the Syndicate of African Artists. This group aimed to promote music in the townships
by getting visiting artists to perform there.
In 1952, Matshikiza was asked to join Drum magazine and was one of the first writers, together with investigative journalist Henry Nxumalo
. He wrote a jazz column covering the township scene, particularly in Sophiatown, where he commented on the likes of Kippie Moeketsi
and Hugh Masekela
who both played for the The Jazz Epistles
. . He also covered township life in his regular column With the lid off. He subsequently worked for the Golden City Post.
His love of classical music inspired him to compose the choral
piece, Makhaliphile in 1953 which he dedicated to Trevor Huddleston
. This was a combination of classical, jazz and traditional themes. In 1956, he composed Uxolo (peace) commissioned for the 70th anniversary of Johannesburg
.
In 1958, Matshikiza composed the music and contributed to the lyrics of a musical King Kong which had an all-black cast. The musical portrayed the life and times of a heavyweight boxer, Ezekiel Dlamini, known as King Kong. This musical was a hit in 1959 and played in the West End
of London
in 1961. (King Kong launched the international career of Miriam Makeba
who played the shebeen
queen of the Back of the Moon, a shebeen of the time in Sophiatown).
Frustrated by apartheid, Matshikiza moved to England
in 1960. However, he found it very difficult to break into the English music scene. Sometimes he played jazz gigs in nightclubs. He freelanced for various publications and wrote a regular column for Drum
entitled Todd in London.
Missing Africa, Matshikiza moved to Zambia
in 1964 where he worked for the Zambian Broadcasting Corporation. Again, he felt stifled musically and took up a position in 1967 as the music archivist
for the Zambian Information Service. In this capacity he travelled extensively building up the archival collection. Matshikiza remained frustrated that he was unable to return to South Africa where he had been banned by the South African government. He died in 1968.
His son John Matshikiza
was a world renowned actor in television and film. He died September 15, 2008 in Johannesburg
, aged 54. His granddaughter, Lindi Matshikiza has followed in the footsteps and is a rising theatre actress and director herself.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
Overview
Matshikiza came from a musical family. He graduated from St Peter's College in Rosettenville, JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
and went on to obtain a diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in music and a teaching diploma. He then taught English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
and Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
in Alice
Alice, Eastern Cape
Alice, a town in South Africa, is named after Princess Alice, daughter of the British Queen Victoria. Many of the current political leaders in South Africa were educated at the University of Fort Hare, also the alma mater of former President Nelson Mandela...
until 1947. During this period, Matshikiza composed songs and choral works; in particular Hamba Kahle, now a standard South Africa piece.
Matshikiza moved to Johannesburg in 1947 where he got married in 1950. He taught for a while and opened the Todd Matshikiza School of Music, a private music school, where he taught the piano. His main interest was jazz. As this didn’t bring in a regular income, he worked in a bookshop and then as a salesman.
From 1949 to 1954, Matshikiza was a committee member of the Syndicate of African Artists. This group aimed to promote music in the townships
Township (South Africa)
In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...
by getting visiting artists to perform there.
In 1952, Matshikiza was asked to join Drum magazine and was one of the first writers, together with investigative journalist Henry Nxumalo
Henry Nxumalo
Henry Nxumalo, also known as Henry "Mr Drum" Nxumalo was a South African journalist.- Biography :He was born in 1917 in Margate, Natal, South Africa and attended the Fascadale Mission School...
. He wrote a jazz column covering the township scene, particularly in Sophiatown, where he commented on the likes of Kippie Moeketsi
Kippie Moeketsi
Kippie ‘Morolong’ Moeketsi was a South African saxophonist and jazz musician. Born into a musical Johannesburg family, Moeketsi was the youngest of eleven brothers, and one sister who was a nurse of whom all but 4 played an instrument...
and Hugh Masekela
Hugh Masekela
Hugh Ramopolo Masekela is a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer.-Early life:Masekela was born in Kwa-Guqa Township, Witbank, South Africa. He began singing and playing piano as a child...
who both played for the The Jazz Epistles
The Jazz Epistles
The Jazz Epistles were South Africa's first important bebop band. Inspired by Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, its members included Dollar Brand on piano, Kippie Moeketsi on alto saxophone, Jonas Gwangwa on trombone, Hugh Masekela on trumpet, Johnny Gertze on bass, and Early Mabuza or Makaya Ntshoko...
. . He also covered township life in his regular column With the lid off. He subsequently worked for the Golden City Post.
His love of classical music inspired him to compose the choral
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
piece, Makhaliphile in 1953 which he dedicated to Trevor Huddleston
Trevor Huddleston
Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston CR, KCMG was an English Anglican bishop. He was most well known for his anti-apartheid activism and his 'Prayer for Africa'...
. This was a combination of classical, jazz and traditional themes. In 1956, he composed Uxolo (peace) commissioned for the 70th anniversary of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
.
In 1958, Matshikiza composed the music and contributed to the lyrics of a musical King Kong which had an all-black cast. The musical portrayed the life and times of a heavyweight boxer, Ezekiel Dlamini, known as King Kong. This musical was a hit in 1959 and played in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1961. (King Kong launched the international career of Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
who played the shebeen
Shebeen
A shebeen was originally an illicit bar or club where excisable alcoholic beverages were sold without a licence.The term has spread far from its origins in Ireland, to Scotland, Canada, the United States, England,...
queen of the Back of the Moon, a shebeen of the time in Sophiatown).
Frustrated by apartheid, Matshikiza moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1960. However, he found it very difficult to break into the English music scene. Sometimes he played jazz gigs in nightclubs. He freelanced for various publications and wrote a regular column for Drum
Drum (Magazine)
Drum is a South African family magazine mainly aimed at Black readers and contains market news, entertainment and feature articles. It has two sister magazines: Huisgenoot and YOU .In 2005 it was described as "the first black lifestyle magazine in Africa"—but it is...
entitled Todd in London.
Missing Africa, Matshikiza moved to Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
in 1964 where he worked for the Zambian Broadcasting Corporation. Again, he felt stifled musically and took up a position in 1967 as the music archivist
Archivist
An archivist is a professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to information determined to have long-term value. The information maintained by an archivist can be any form of media...
for the Zambian Information Service. In this capacity he travelled extensively building up the archival collection. Matshikiza remained frustrated that he was unable to return to South Africa where he had been banned by the South African government. He died in 1968.
His son John Matshikiza
John Matshikiza
John Matshikiza was a South African actor, theatre director, poet and journalist.John Matshikiza was born in Johannesburg, South Africa to Todd Matshikiza and Esme Matshikiza. Todd was a renowned jazz pianist, composer and journalist. Due to apartheid, the Matshikiza family went into exile in...
was a world renowned actor in television and film. He died September 15, 2008 in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, aged 54. His granddaughter, Lindi Matshikiza has followed in the footsteps and is a rising theatre actress and director herself.
Books
- Chocolates for my wife, Todd Matshikiza, Hodder & Stoughton, 1961
- Also - David Philip Publishers, 1982, ISBN 0-90-839683-X
- With the lid off, South African insights from home and abroad 1959-2000, T. Matshikiza J. Matshikiza., M&G Books, ISBN 0-620-26244-3
- (John is the son of Todd and worked for the Mail & GuardianMail & GuardianThe Mail & Guardian is a South African weekly newspaper, published by M&G Media in Johannesburg, South Africa, with a strong focus on politics, government, the environment, civil society and business.- The Mail & Guardian newspaper :...
).