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Changing Horizons of Expectation: Community Service-Learning & Music Education in the Greater Mangaung Area, South Africa

Ms. Elene Coetzer, Professor of Music at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, will present about the development and challenges of the Manguang String Programme, along with issues related to compulsory service-learning in a University setting. The Manguang String Programme is a music programme focused on helping children from historically disadvantaged backgrounds in rural areas. Under the guidance of Ms Coetzer, the programme has grown from 30 young learners in 2000 to nearly 500 in 2009, including children from isolated rural areas in the greater Free State Province.

Date: Thursday, November 12th, 12-2pm Please register by Friday, November 7th. Stick Boy lunch provided.

Elene’s Bio Elene Coetzer earned a Bachelors Honours Cum Laude in Music in 2005, and a Bachelors Honours in Language Studies in 2007 from the University of the Free State, South Africa. In 2000 she began her career as music educator within the Manguang String Programme. She oversees beginner violin tuition, beginner orchestra tuition and music theory classes and mentors future music educators within the string programme.

In 2008 she implemented and now coordinates the community service-learning module of the Music Department at the University of the Free State. This module is compulsory to all final year students in the Music department.

In July 2009, she presented her research and work at the international conference of Music in Society in Venice, Italy. She plans to complete her Masters in Music Education in 2010.