Brass Band Pops

The company is managed by former minstrel Kader Miller, who says his aim is to "promote and
advocate youth participation in learning to read classical music and play musical instruments."

Miller says he often saw youth bands performing in the street or at the local community halls
and kept thinking that someone needed to help them go further. "One day, I thought to myself,
you know, it's easy to sit and wait for someone else to do something. I realised that I needed to
be proactive and do it myself," says Miller.

Kader began to approach the various bands about the possibility of performing at a major venue
such as the Cape Town City Hall. "I basically said to them that, if they agreed to do it, they were
not allowed to wear tracksuits and minstrel clothes," says Kader. "They had to wear proper
formal jackets and bow ties, and they would have to learn how to read and play classical music."
There was immediate interest and, with the help of the individual band leaders, Miller's Music
has had great success in training the various bands to read and play classical music and
instruments.

Musicians in the bands range from 10 to 24 years old, from areas including Delft, Mitchell's Plain,
Hanover Park, Manenberg, Bonteheuwel and Bo-Kaap.

"If even one of the youngsters receives recognition, either in the form of a bursary or job
offers, then my goal will have been achieved, I want to give them the opportunities that I never
had, but would have liked, as a young musician." says Miller.