Google pays colourful tribute to South African composer-journalist Todd Matshikiza
Todd Matshikiza through a colourful doodle.
Created by South African artist Keith Vlahakis, the cartoon commemorates the maestro’s masterpiece the cantata ‘Uxolo’ (meaning peace) was played by the orchestra at the Johannesburg Festival on September 25, 1956.
Who Was Todd Matshikiza?
Music In His Blood
Matshikiza was born to a musical family from Queenstown, South Africa on March 7th, 1921. His mother was a singer and his father was a professional organist who taught Matshikiza and his six siblings the piano.
An alumnus of St Peter’s College in Johannesburg, Matshikiza also obtained a diploma in music and teaching. He worked as a teacher (English and Math) and devoted his free time to composing choral works and songs such as ‘Hamba Kahle’.
Finally, in 1947, the maestro was able to establish a private school named ‘Todd Matshikiza School Of Music’. He mainly taught piano and jazz music. As this did not yield a steady income, he also moonlighted as a bookkeeper as well as a salesman.
