Sibongile Buda
Sibongile Buda, known as Ms Buda Bass, is a Mamelodi born, South African performing artist. She is a bassist, composer, music teacher, band conductor, founder and programme Director. Her passion for music is traced back to her grandmother who plays an African drum in church; her love for music emanates from growing up in a musical background following on her grandmother’s footsteps. This lead to a discovery of a music programme known as Committed Artist for Cultural Advancement (CAFCA) through childhood friends.
Sibongile is currently working as a music teacher at CAFCA, which focuses on enhancement of music skills to children from disadvantaged communities. She is a founder and programme director of a female lead organisation - Jazz Camp for Female Instrumentalists Mamelodi (JCFI) - the purpose of which is to groom and empower females with artistic skills from an early age and to provide a platform for female artists to showcase their talent.
Sibongile’s first concert was in 2005 at Enoch Sontonga hall at Unisa. She subsequently participated in a cultural showcase in Delft (Netherlands) with the CAFCA Ensemble in 2007, in 2008 she performed with CAFCA Music Ensemble in Beijing and in 2009 at the Molde Jazz Festival with JCFI Norway band. In 2011 she performed at the Jazz Education Network (JEN) conference in New Orleans, LA, USA and participated at the SAJE conference at University of Cape Town (UCT). She attended and participated at the International Society of Bassists (ISB) held at San Francisco State University in June 2011, and participated at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival.
In 2013 she performed at at the SAJE and in 2015 at the Maru a pula festival in Botswana. She recorded an All-female album in 2016 called Mother Tongue. In 2017 she participated in a panel discussion at JEN conference in New Orleans & performed at the Jazz at the Lincoln Centre an all-female Globe jam.
