On the Couch - #175 - MEX in conversation with Sheldon Rocha Leal - Part 2

Sheldon Rocha Leal holds a BA in Law and Psychology from UNISA, a BMus Honours and MMus (Cum Laude) from the University of Pretoria and a PhD in Music Business and Education from the University of the Free State.Besides for being in music education for the past 19 years he is also a performer and songwriter, having written songs for multiple artists including the SAMA award winning songstress Lira and artists RJ Benjamin, Yves, Danny K and Karen from Idols.His music has had extensive playlisting on various radio stations nationally.Some of his students have gone on to lead very successful music careers, people like Anatii, Shane Eagle, Vusi Nova and members of bands like Monark, Prime Circle, Tweak, Pascal and Pearce and Rubber Duc.He has been instrumental in guiding and mentoring the careers of many young artists and music business leaders, assisting in recording company contract negotiations.Sheldon Rocha Leal is currently the Director of Culture and Music at Southdowns College, a private school in Centurion.He was previously the national head of sound engineering and music at Damelin and head of contemporary music at the National School of the Arts. He was instrumental in the writing of the national curriculum for music for GET, FET and HE at SAQA.Sheldon has judged various music competitions, eisteddfods and festivals, including the writing of the National Eisteddfod curriculum for contemporary music and judging the St Andrew’s VIEBZ Competition, the STEPP Competition, Springs Eisteddfod, Kempton Park Music Festival, Radio Pulpit Gospel Competition and Randfontein Music Festival.He has appeared on various television shows including being a musical mentor and vocal coach on The Voice Angola and a Top 5 finalist on the SABC 3 television reality contest Crux Gospel Star.He has also served as a music commentator on SAFM, 702, Metro, Midrand and Eden FM.Additionally, he has hosted and MC’d various shows including being the face of Givenchy, Black Flys and on a show in which he introduced the topic of how South African Music has Transformed international music trends for the United Nations.