This week Jambo Africa Online profiles a trailblazing musician, C’nky Siwela, whose mission is also to develop young talent…
Award winning Singer, Flautist and Composer, C’nky Siwela has established his musical career as an artist with great versatility and insight. Siwela is creating a new musical concept by blending a contemporary mix of jazz influenced flute melodies and his soulful vocals into Electro Jazz / Pop composition.
Spending more than 17 years in the music industry granted him a lot of experience and helped him not only to be consistent but also gave him the coordinating skills. Siwela’s musical stylings will be showcased through his 12-track album titled “Another Side of Me”, to be released in June or July latest. The album is expected to be a viral hit in both South African and International music scene.
His second released electro pop/jazz single, “My name in the Echo” received more than 2 million listens on Sound Cloud within less than a month of its release date. In addition, “My name in the Echo” played at more than thirty radio stations in sixteen countries (South Africa, USA, Japan, France, Brazil, Germany, Greece, Belgium, Canada, China, etc) since 2015.
C’nky Siwela was born in Stinkwater (far north of Pretoria), South Africa. He was raised in a musical and spiritual family. His grandfather was a singer, flautist, and a pastor of an Evangelical Church. As a child, C’nky became very passionate about music and learning multiple instruments which led him to conducting a band later in his life.
In 2002, Cnky Siwela joined Tsa Lapeng Music Initiative to better enhance his instrumental capabilities. That same year he became a beneficiary of a scholarship and was offered a mentorship by the late music educationist, Sir. Michael Masote, and his wife, Sheila Masote, from ACOSA’s Soweto Music Conservatoire. From 2005 to 2008, ACOSA offered him another scholarship to study the flute with well-respected flautist instructors, Helen Vosloo.
In 2009, he joined University of South Africa’s Music Foundation (UNISA) as a scholarship participant and flute tutor at Tsa Lapeng Music Conservatoire, based right near his home village of Stinkwater, South Africa. Between 2009 and 2013, C’nky played flute for Soweto Youth Orchestra, UNISA Music Foundation Symphony Orchestra and CAFCA Big Band. In 2011, He travelled with Committed Artists For Cultural Advancement (CAFCA) Big Band to participate at the Jazz Education Network in New Orleans, New York, and Chicago. In 2014, Siwela accompanied Limpopo Youth Orchestra (LYO) to Dakar, Senegal, in celebration of 20 years of freedom and paying tribute to former late president Nelson Mandela. In April 2015, he brought his talented flute student, Joel Baloyi, to receive flute master classes with Professor Marc Grauwels in Wavre, Belgium. Siwela has also attended flute master classes with the talented Francesca Canali (Austria) and Bruno Meirs (UK).
C’nky’s debut music is featured on radio stations in South Africa – namely, UKHOZI FM, Lesedi FM, Motsweding FM, Ikwekwezi FM, Umhlobo We Nene FM, YFM, PowerFM, Radio 2000, Chai FM and has appeared on South African TV programs such as Trace Africa, Channel O, MTV Base, YoTV, Mzanis Music, Mzansi Insider, Morning Live, Ses’Khona. Siwela’s debut Afro-Soul album, “Reminiscent of the Sound”, was released in 2014 via Down2Earth Musik on iTunes, Spotify, Rhapsody, and many other online stores. Also, his work was featured in Move magazine, Daily Sun, Sunday Sun, Pretoria News, Sunday World, Soweto Life Magazine, Stokvel Talk, Tshwane Sun and Bua Soweto.
After spending many years learning the music business, Cnky is now doing Public Relations (PR) for Mmatema Moremi, Sliq Angel and MXO (Roots2000), and also does PR & marketing for 2 well-known festivals in Pretoria (Mams Arts Festival and the Tshwane All Whites Jazz Benefit Concert) as an indie freelancer.
C’nky Siwela‘s versatile approach to music grants him the capabilities to compose and perform different genres of music, utilising his talented flute skills, and soulful voice. That being said, C’nky Siwela has performed at numerous calendar events and festivals which include the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Nelson Mandela’s Birthday Celebration Concerts, Moshito Music Conference and Exhibitions, Jazz by the River, Tshwane Tourism Awards, Cameroon Achievers Awards, etc.
“C’nky Siwela gifts as a songwriter and performer are surrounded with a whiff of posterity, someone who will leave a longstanding mark on present and future artists, painting the way towards a limitless future,” said Lydia Hillenburg of the UK’s Vents magazine.
C’nky Siwela currently serves as the Artistic and Educational Director at Tsa Lapeng Music Initiative, C’nky Siwela Flute Institute (CSFI), Hammanskraal Joyful Sounds and founder of Cwell Music & Media.
With a wealth of experience in the music industry, the Cnky Siwela Flute Institute has become a leading institution in music education. Their music styles are showcased through their 5-track EP titled “The Experimental,” which was released on December 11th, 2022, and has already become a viral hit in both South African and international music scenes. Four of the songs from the EP are already being playlisted on five major South African radios, including Metro FM, Ukhozi FM, Umhlobo Wenene FM, Chai FM, Motsweding FM and Lesedi FM.
Developing a coterie of other musicians
The Cnky Siwela Flute Institute is committed to addressing the lack of music training and capacity to deliver it in underserved communities. The organization offers weekly training on orchestral and rhythm instruments, as well as music theory, to youth between the ages of 6 and 35 in Stinkwater. The Institute is aligned with the international music syllabus of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM-UK) and the Unisa Music Directorate.
In addition to providing quality music education, the Cnky Siwela Flute Institute also exists to empower overlooked musicians and involve them in providing training and educating young musicians in a professional big band. The organization offers a variety of music education formats through outreach, with a purpose to prepare less fortunate musicians for participation in the economic growth of their underserved communities through education and performance. Whether as performers, songwriters, producers, or music educationists, the Cnky Siwela Flute Institute is committed to helping young musicians achieve their full potential and contribute to the growth of the music industry in South Africa and beyond.
The Cnky Siwela Flute Institute (CSFI) has a range of objectives that are centered on empowering marginalised and vulnerable youth and women through music education and performance programs. One of their primary goals is to encourage critical thinking skills and foster empowerment to prevent and combat gender-based violence.
To achieve these objectives, CSFI offers scholarships to talented flautists in rural areas to further develop their playing abilities, with the ultimate goal of providing them with the necessary skills to pursue music as a professional career. The Institute also conducts a series of Jazz Flute Workshops and music education concerts in underrepresented communities to expand access to quality music education.
Additionally, the CSFI is dedicated to developing, producing, and managing the festival of flute ensemble and the annual Inside Art Youth Orchestra Festival. These events provide a platform for young musicians to showcase their talents and connect with the wider music industry.
Overall, the Cnky Siwela Flute Institute is committed to using music as a tool for positive social change, and their objectives reflect this commitment. Through their programs and initiatives, they aim to empower young people and women to shape their own futures, pursue their dreams, and contribute to the growth and development of their communities.
Success stories and performance videos:
2023
• Premier interview and performance on SABC Morning Live, showcasing the Institute’s talent and contributions to the music industry.
• CSFI is invited to perform in Gabon in July, providing an opportunity for the Institute to showcase its talent and unique musical style on an international stage. This recognition further highlights the Institute’s contributions to the music industry and its commitment to promoting music education and performance opportunities in underserved communities, both locally and globally.
2022
• Recorded and released a 5-track EP titled “The Experimental”, showcasing the Institute’s unique blend of jazz-influenced flute melodies and soulful vocals into Neo-Soul Jazz.
• Four of the Institute’s songs from the EP were playlisted on major South African radio stations, including Metro FM, Ukhozi FM, Umhlobo Wenene, Lesedi FM, and Motsweding FM.
• Created jobs for more than 20 artists, providing employment opportunities in the music industry.
2018
• CSFI students and teachers attended a Flute masterclass in Belgium, Wavre hosted by Prof Marc Grawels, expanding their musical knowledge and skills through international education and collaboration.
These achievements demonstrate the Institute’s commitment to excellence in music education, performance, and innovation, as well as its impact on the music industry and the communities it serves.
2014
• In 2014, CSFI received a Gold certificate and prize money at the 12th annual Unisa youth music festival in the Tshwane metro, further highlighting the Institute’s dedication to excellence in music education and performance.
2011
• In 2011, CSFI flute students attended flute master classes with talented musicians Francesca Canali (Austria) and Bruno Meirs (UK), indicating the Institute’s commitment to providing its students with access to world-class training and mentorship.
2009 – 2023
• From 2009 to 2023, CSFI participants have had numerous performance opportunities at prestigious events, including the Inaugural Tsa lapeng youth Jazz Orchestra Festival, the Tshwane All White Jazz Benefit Concert, and sharing the stage with notable artists such as MXO, Mmatema Moremi, Don Laka, McCoy Mrubata, Lucille Slade and Cnky Siwela himself. These performances not only showcase the Institute’s talent and musical style, but also provide valuable exposure and networking opportunities for its students and faculty.
Catch Cnky Siwela this Sunday on Chai 101.9 (or stream live from www.chaifm.com) from 17h00 to 19h00 as “Sunset Serenade” will play his music as part of the “Africa Month” celebrations paying homage to our global pan African leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Emperor Haille Selassie, Amilcar Cabral and many other luminaries.
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For bookings, news and events regarding C’nky Siwela Contact: +27 81 311 2264 / +27 78 647 7320 or Email: cwellmusicpr@gmail.com / cnkysiwela@gmail.com