The UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music will host The Piano Passion Concert featuring pianists Sibonelo Nxumalo, Nhlakanipho Zulu and Zibusiso Makhathini who are the tertiary institution’s alumni tomorrow 18 October at 17h00.

Sibonelo Nxumalo is a skillful and dedicated South African pianist based in Durban.  In high school, he fell is love with music and started playing in churches.  Sibonelo initially came to the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) to study law.  However, he one day woke up to the realization that his passion was music and convinced his parents to allow him to pursue that instead of law.  He enrolled at the Durban Music School to study piano, and while preparing for an exciting school year, he got lured to audition for a sponsored music programme at The BAT Centre.  The decision to join The BAT Centre proved to be a career-defining one as it was where he was introduced to the jazz genre by Xolani Hlengwa.  He later got accepted at the UKZN Music School, where he completed a music degree.  His dedication to anything he finds himself doing was apparent even at the university when he started collecting several merits annually.

Sibonelo Nxumalo

Sibonelo is known for sensitivity and his unique approach to performance.  He recently served as the music director of Zawadi Yamungu’s The Past Meets the Future music concert at The Playhouse.  He has also directed and co-directed many career-changing productions, including Glenn Jones’s All For You South African Tour, Howard Hewett’s Soul Meets House South African Tour, Alexander O’Neil’s South African Tour, and many others.  His achievements include Best Performance of an up-tempo Jazz ballad piece in 1st round – UNISA Piano Competition, Best Performance of a Jazz South African work – UNISA Piano Competition ’23.

Also on the bill is Nhlakanipho Zulu, a Durban-based professional jazz pianist.  Nhlakanipho has performed at the South African Crown Gospel Awards and is currently the pianist for Mondli Ngcobo, a recording artist and producer.  His most recent projects include working with and playing second keys for the legendary Themba Mkhize at The BAT Centre.  Nhlakanipho was born in Gamalakhe, Port Shepstone, where he started his music career in church.  During his high school years at Gamalakhe Commercial High School, he learned to play organ, classical and jazz piano under the mentorship and expert guidance of the great Andile Yenana.  His childhood experience shaped his musical journey, leading him to play in various events in his hometown as a teenager.

In 2018, Nhlakanipho enrolled in the music school at UKZN to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Music Studies majoring in Jazz.  Following his tertiary education, he relocated to Durban to pursue a professional career.  He was in the cast of The Manhattans event in Johannesburg where he played second keys.  Nhlakanipho has also performed for well-known South African Gospel artists such as Nqubeko Mbatha, Ayanda Ntanzi, and Ndu Shezi, among others.  He was hired as the musical director for a jazz single released in February 2023.

Zibusiso Makhathini

Zibusiso Makhathini is a South African jazz pianist, composer and music tutor born and raised in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal.  Music became an inherent attribute that stood out during his primary and high school years, having grown up in a musical family.  It influenced him to pursue music as a career by obtaining a music degree at UKZN.  Currently, he teaches jazz piano and ensemble at Durban High School.  Zibusiso was one of the headlining acts at the UKZN Schools Jazz Festival and was involved in the workshops preceding the festival.  He had the opportunity to perform at the Oslo Jazz Festival at Herr Nelson and the Buzz Stage.  He was also selected for the Standard Bank Youth Jazz Band, which performed at the Makhanda Jazz Festival and the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz.

Zibusiso was profiled and features as an artist on Insider SA, a national television programme, under the segment ‘Defying the Norm’ for a project that premiered at the National Arts Festival.  He has also recorded live shows with various artists from his community.  He has featured some of his music in a film called ‘Glasgow, Love and Apartheid’ for BBC Scotland.  Zibusiso had the opportunity to be the resident pianist at the UKZN ‘Peace Concert’ for International Jazz Day and the pianist at the Royal Gala Dinner for King Misuzulu’s coronation.UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music is at Level 2, Dennis Shepstone Building, Howard College Campus.  Cover charge is R100 for general public, R70 for pensioners and R40 for students.  Doors will open at 17h00 and the show starts at 17h30