Thandeka Mfinyongo
Thandeka Louisa Mfinyongo was born and raised in Nyanga East, Cape Town. In 2017 she graduated with a Performer’s Diploma in Music and in 2018 with an Advanced Diploma in African Music, both from the University of Cape Town. Thandeka specialises in two Xhosa instruments, uhadi (gourd/calabash bow) and umrhubhe (mouth-bow). She is currently doing her Master’s in Music Performance at SOAS University of London, specialising in kora instrument.
Thandeka has performed on various stages around South Africa, including at the Baxter Theatre and ArtsCape Theatre in Cape Town, and writes and performs her poems. She was involved in the International Jazz Festival Skills Development in 2014, and in 2017 was part of the UCT iBuyambo Ensemble, performing regularly in Cape Town during this period. Mfinyongo is one of the founding members of a musical group called Azanian Aesthetics.
In 2018 Thandeka released her first single called Wenza Ngabom and had her first solo performance at Baxter’s Masambe Theatre. Later that year, she performed with the legendary Madosini (known as “The Queen of Xhosa” instruments), Msaki (South Africa’s contemporary recording artist) and Nomtha as part of ‘At the Feet of a Living Archive’ at Youngblood Gallery in Cape Town.
In May 2019, Thandeka performed at the Global LBQ Conference, held in Cape Town South Africa for the first time. She toured the Eastern Cape and performed at AfroBru in Johannesburg alongside Morena Leraba a performance organised by OneShushu Day. She co-wrote Brighter Day with Zyo and performed at The Awakening Sessions in Kimberly and the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown alongside one of South Africa’s renowned musicians Dumza Maswana. She performed with the lead singer of the Freshlyground and, while at SOAS in London, took part in performing in events like Young Gifted and Black during Black History Month. Thandeka also worked as a Social Media Ambassador for the SOAS School of Arts. During the Covid-19 lockdown, she did numerous virtual performances, one organised by the House Concert Bombay in India and the other by the Global Hope Festival.
Links
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeRHj-L_GtLuel0uOQ0NSpQ
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/thandekamfinyongo