Dozens of communities in and around the Athlone area and other parts of the Western Cape struggle to afford the daily necessities like food and school fees. This makes it even more difficult for the people in the community to ensure music education isn’t lost to their children.
The Athlone Academy of Music (AAM) was initiated by one for the community leaders and music teachers, Mr Samual J Jonker in 1994. He wanted to put his gift to good use and influence the youth in the community in a positive way with music. By initiating the academy, Mr Jonker made a small contribution to help combat gangsterism while adding to the community’s cultural development within the township life.
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About the Athlone Academy of Music
The Athlone Academy of Music (AAM) is a non-profit organisation established in 1994 with the sole aim of providing music tuition within the Athlone area. This initiative has now expanded and has grown to include the greater Athlone community residing along the Klipfontein corridor including Langa, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Retreat, Steenberg, Atlantis and Malmesbury to name but a few.
The communities in and around Athlone have tried but there has not always been a cohesive attempt to make sure that music education is not lost to our children. Music tuition has shown to help with discipline, motivation and a sense of belonging. Three basic values that children from the poorer disadvantaged communities need plenty of. We all know that these communities suffer under the scourge of substance abuse, disease, abuse against women and children and general decay of the social fibre in society. This social decay is largely a result of unemployment, poverty and idleness.
We at the Academy feel obliged to create opportunities for children in the communities we serve to be active in music education and in so doing, eradicate some of the social pathologies we are faced with on a daily basis.
Their Mission
The mission of the AAM is to help identify and develop the musical talents of people from disadvantaged communities. The academy also focuses on helping music teachers take responsibility for smaller ensembles in targeted schools.
