From Soweto to Symphony Halls: Dr. Samson Diamond on Classical Music & JPO's Spring Season

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Join host Lindi Tshabangu on JustGospel's Soul Foods for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Samson Diamond, the award-winning violinist and education director for the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, whose journey from Deep Kloof, Soweto to international concert halls exemplifies South African excellence.
Dr. Diamond shares his remarkable path from the Buskaid Soweto Strings program to earning first-class honors at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK, before returning home to transform music education in South Africa. As a founding member of Europe's first black and ethnic minority orchestra, Chineke Orchestra, he's been at the forefront of creating representation and highlighting black excellence in classical music.
Key Discussion Points:

Growing up in Soweto and discovering classical music through Buskaid
Six years at Royal Northern College of Music and working with top UK orchestras
The cultural differences between performing in Brazil, UK, and South Africa
His role as Principal Second Violinist and current education director at JPO
Being a founding member of the groundbreaking Chineke Orchestra
The state of classical and choral music education in South Africa
Bridging accessibility gaps in classical music for marginalized communities

JPO Early Spring Season Highlights:
Dr. Diamond unveils JPO's exciting August concert series featuring international conductors and soloists, including Taiwanese-American conductor Mei-Ann Chen, South African trumpeter Dingan Shabalala, and a rare performance of Tchaikovsky's reconstructed Symphony No. 7.
"Classical music has a transformative power of bringing people together, which for South Africa at any given moment, is absolutely a beautiful thing." - Dr. Samson Diamond
Event Details: JPO Early Spring Season - Every Thursday in August, 7:30PM at Linder Auditorium | Tickets via Quicket and jpo.co.za
Subscribe to JustGospel Radio and catch us live at www.justgospelradio.co.za
#JustGospel #SoulFoods #ClassicalMusic #JPO #ChinekeOrchestra #SouthAfricanTalent #MusicEducation #SpringSeason
10 Aug 2025 English South Africa Christianity · Religion & Spirituality

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