Growing up in Duduza on the East Rand of Gauteng, Hamilton Motloung witnessed the violence and riots that plagued his community during apartheid. Amid the chaos, however, he found comfort and hope through music. 

Today, Motloung’s passion for music has led him not only to become a music director, composer and producer, but also to start a choir called Duduza Serenade, which has gained international recognition. 

“In our South African history, the dusty streets of Duduza are still known to be a place of violence, riots, necklacing and heightened political tension,” says Motloung. 

“I started this choir because I wanted the area to be known for something else, something more positive.” 

The 42-year-old’s musical journey was inspired by his mother, Elizabeth Maki, who was a soprano in the Johannesburg Central Choir. 

“When I was six months old, my father abandoned us, and I developed a close relationship with my mother,” says Motloung.  

“As a single parent, she worked hard to raise me. As a young boy, I would accompany her to her rehearsals. Watching her perform rubbed off on me and I started singing soprano.” 

Musical roots and teaching career 

He sang throughout his schooling career, and in 1997, while attending Asser Maloka Secondary School, he became the deputy choir conductor. 

A few years after matriculating, he became the choir teacher at Duduza’s NN Ndebele Secondary School. 

“I taught music and helped prepare the school’s choir for competitions,” says Motloung.  

After noticing that other children in the community also wanted to be part of a choir, he left his position at the school and founded Duduza Serenade in March 2005. 

Building a beacon of hope 

“I saw this choir as a beacon of hope in a community that faces adversity,” Motloung says.  

“Duduza, which means ‘to comfort’, is a testament to the choir’s mission.” 

Under Motloung’s leadership, the choir has performed at the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in countries including China and Austria. 

“We like to refer to the festival as the World Choir Games,” says Motloung. 

Last year in Shanghai, Duduza Serenade won the spiritual sacred music category and was named the most popular. Following last year’s festival, it was given the chance to perform at a sing-along concert in Vienna, Austria. 

The festival is held yearly for youth choirs, bands and orchestras from across the world. This year, it was held in Sun City in August, and also featured an all-boys choir from Vusukukhanya Primary School in Inanda, KZN. The KZN group was recognised as one of the top performers, according to choir director Phumlani Khuluse. 

At the festival, Motloung was asked by the Choral Celebration Network Foundation to host a workshop for 12 choirs on African music, which also took place last month. 

Among those he trained were choirs from Germany, Zimbabwe and Austria – and the Vusukukhanya Primary School choir, whose performance has enchanted viewers after being shared on the Duduza Serenade Facebook page. 

In the video, the boys can be seen singing two African melodies called Stimela and Hamba Wena. 

Motloung explained that his training focused on showing the singers how to pronounce African songs naturally, just as they would speak the language, so they could sing the music authentically. 

A different side to life 

“They have not stopped talking about the training with Hamilton,” says Khuluse.  

“He had such a good approach with the boys and helped them unlock another level of their talent. We will always be grateful.” 

Khuluse adds that the boys are dedicated and rehearse from 07:00 to 07:45 every day. 

“Inanda is a community plagued with crime, and through song the boys are being shown that there is a different side to life,” he says. 

Motloung is living his passion, and also works as a sessional music lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand. 

“Never let go of your dreams,” says Motloung.  

“Every day that you are awake, you get to achieve your dreams.” 

Watch the video here: