#InTheSpotlight MANDLA MLANGENI – FOUNDER OF THE AMANDLA FREEDOM ENSEMBLE

I was raised in Soweto, Johannesburg and am a young vibrant graduate of music composition from the University of Cape Town. I am currently writing and performing my music with my band, The Tune and Recreation Committee (TRC), my brass band, the Native Groove Collective (NGC), and the newly established Amandla Freedom Ensemble based in Johannesburg . Besides being a bandleader and composer I perform regularly as a freelance musician in various capacities. As well as leading the TRC I have been active in numerous other projects in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Israel, Britain and Botswana where I performed a wide variety of music ranging from Classical, Jazz, Pop, Balkan and Indigenous African Music. I have performed with many celebrated musicians including Barney Rachabane, Marcus Wyatt, John Davies, Hugh Masekela, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Susana Baca (Peru), Mark Fransman, Louis Moholo , Dizu Plaatjies, Khaya Mahlangu just to name a few. I am a strong believer in giving back to the community; this is why I have chosen to in my student days, voluntarily, teach music at the Mannenberg High School as well as Alex Sinton High School.