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Tributes continue to pour in for legendary jazz musician Sibongile Khumalo who passed on today.
Below are some highlights of Khumalo’s life:
- She was born in Orlando, Soweto on 24 September 1957.
- Her parents Grace and Khabi Mngoma were actively involved in the upliftment of the community through the arts. Her father was a professor in music and her mother was a nurse.
- Khumalo’s qualifications include a BA in Music from the University of Zululand and went on to obtain a BA Hons from Wits and a Higher Diploma in Personnel Management.
The University of South Africa, Rhodes University, and the University of Zulu land have conferred her with honorary doctorates. - She has worked as a music teacher, administrator and researcher for independent institutions such as Fuba Academy and the Madimba Institute of African Music.
- The legend’s musical expertise encompasses opera, choral, musical theatre and jazz.
- She released her first album, Ancient Evenings in 1996 which was followed by eight more albums.
- Khumalo has shared stages with renowned artists including Hugh Masekela in his Songs of Migration tour, performed with Jack Dejohnette, Danilo Perez, Jerome Harris, Byron Wallen and Jason Yarde.
- She was part of the 1999 series of Divine Divas concert along with opera singers Aviva Pelham and Virginia Davids.
- Khumalo has graced local and international stages including the HetMuzik Theater, Amsterdam, Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican Centre, the Kennedy Centre, Washington DC, locally the Artscape Opera Stage in Cape Town, State Theatre Opera House and the Jazz Festival.
- Her awards include the Standard Bank Young Artist Award, four South African Music Awards and three FNB Vita Awards, and the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver in 2008.
- She had two children, Ayanda and Tshepo.
