Excellence as a Way of Life: Busisiwe Ngwenya's Journey
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On JustGospel, Busisiwe Ngwenya—Soweto-born opera singer, teacher, and administrator—shared her philosophy of excellence forged through an extraordinary upbringing and commitment to the arts.
A Pressured Childhood of Privilege
Growing up in Khayalitsha surrounded by university intellectuals, Busisiwe had access to knowledge, instruments, and music most children didn't. "I was surrounded by maturity all the time. I only encountered kids my age in school, but at home it was very mature, very broad." This created beauty but also pressure—high expectations for a little girl to both be a child and grow up quickly.
"You always felt like you were catching up. Even when I felt I knew more than other kids, at home I felt like I didn't know enough." The grownups knew the standard; she was constantly reaching for it.
The Excellence Principle
This shaped her teaching philosophy: "We aim for excellence. Whatever we're doing—learning the alphabet, numbers, music, or principles—you must learn it so well that you can't lose it ever."
At university, she directed choirs with students studying medicine, psychology, education, music, science, and economics. Her approach: "This is the point of rebooting. We bring them in to reset so when they go back to their residences and sit behind their desks, they're ready to face their subjects." Most of her choristers became Golden Key students on the rector's list, taught excellence and how to reset without feeling less than.
Don't Park on Mistakes
"When you make a mistake—a test, an assignment—don't park there. Don't reside there. Move on. It may sound harsh, but if you park there, you'll be stuck there. Pick yourself up. Get on with it. You're not getting another opportunity to try again on that one. What are you going to do with the next one? Focus on what's going to go right with the one coming up."
She teaches singers: "If you make a mistake, don't worry about it. If you've dropped notes, don't pick them up. Continue to the next notes." This principle applies to life across the board.
No Shadow of Comparison
Her aunt was a renowned singer, but Busisiwe never felt pressure to measure up—credit to her grandparents who never pitted them against each other. "The comparison came from the public later when we were both singing. But at home, there was never that pressure. Everybody in my family is a musician, so you never felt competition. It was more: everybody's already on the way, so don't be left behind."
Fighting Inequality in Opera
When few Black opera singers existed, she became a novelty. But when more entered the space, pushback emerged: "Why are we excluding Black people again? Going back where Black people don't have a place at the table? Instead of making the circle bigger, we're making it smaller so only certain races get solo roles while Black people become the chorus."
She advocates for meritocracy: "It should be about the best person for the role. If the best person is Black, give them the role. Don't withhold it because you feel the money comes from you as a white person. And when Black people gain power, they shouldn't gatekeep either. Who is best suited for the job?"
The Hollywood Star
Walking Hollywood Boulevard, she wondered what having a star would be like. When notified she'd receive one at Rory Peach, she couldn't comprehend the magnitude. "I was there when they put the stars on the pavement. This thing is built for posterity. In a hundred years, somebody's going to walk past and see my name. That's ridiculous—even now, I still can't wrap my head around it."
Parting Wisdom
"What are you willing to die for? If you have nothing you're willing to die for, don't even start on any journey. I'm passionate about the arts and willing to die for it. I pushed myself to levels of excellence very few attain. Find out what you're willing to die for."
A Pressured Childhood of Privilege
Growing up in Khayalitsha surrounded by university intellectuals, Busisiwe had access to knowledge, instruments, and music most children didn't. "I was surrounded by maturity all the time. I only encountered kids my age in school, but at home it was very mature, very broad." This created beauty but also pressure—high expectations for a little girl to both be a child and grow up quickly.
"You always felt like you were catching up. Even when I felt I knew more than other kids, at home I felt like I didn't know enough." The grownups knew the standard; she was constantly reaching for it.
The Excellence Principle
This shaped her teaching philosophy: "We aim for excellence. Whatever we're doing—learning the alphabet, numbers, music, or principles—you must learn it so well that you can't lose it ever."
At university, she directed choirs with students studying medicine, psychology, education, music, science, and economics. Her approach: "This is the point of rebooting. We bring them in to reset so when they go back to their residences and sit behind their desks, they're ready to face their subjects." Most of her choristers became Golden Key students on the rector's list, taught excellence and how to reset without feeling less than.
Don't Park on Mistakes
"When you make a mistake—a test, an assignment—don't park there. Don't reside there. Move on. It may sound harsh, but if you park there, you'll be stuck there. Pick yourself up. Get on with it. You're not getting another opportunity to try again on that one. What are you going to do with the next one? Focus on what's going to go right with the one coming up."
She teaches singers: "If you make a mistake, don't worry about it. If you've dropped notes, don't pick them up. Continue to the next notes." This principle applies to life across the board.
No Shadow of Comparison
Her aunt was a renowned singer, but Busisiwe never felt pressure to measure up—credit to her grandparents who never pitted them against each other. "The comparison came from the public later when we were both singing. But at home, there was never that pressure. Everybody in my family is a musician, so you never felt competition. It was more: everybody's already on the way, so don't be left behind."
Fighting Inequality in Opera
When few Black opera singers existed, she became a novelty. But when more entered the space, pushback emerged: "Why are we excluding Black people again? Going back where Black people don't have a place at the table? Instead of making the circle bigger, we're making it smaller so only certain races get solo roles while Black people become the chorus."
She advocates for meritocracy: "It should be about the best person for the role. If the best person is Black, give them the role. Don't withhold it because you feel the money comes from you as a white person. And when Black people gain power, they shouldn't gatekeep either. Who is best suited for the job?"
The Hollywood Star
Walking Hollywood Boulevard, she wondered what having a star would be like. When notified she'd receive one at Rory Peach, she couldn't comprehend the magnitude. "I was there when they put the stars on the pavement. This thing is built for posterity. In a hundred years, somebody's going to walk past and see my name. That's ridiculous—even now, I still can't wrap my head around it."
Parting Wisdom
"What are you willing to die for? If you have nothing you're willing to die for, don't even start on any journey. I'm passionate about the arts and willing to die for it. I pushed myself to levels of excellence very few attain. Find out what you're willing to die for."
