The Morris Isaacson Centre for Music is a music education institution built in 2009 in Jabavu, Soweto, and began delivering lessons in 2011. The centre is named after Morris Isaacson High School, in whose premise it is located, which played a significant role in the 1976 Soweto Uprising against apartheid.
The centre was established through a joint initiative between Mendel Kaplan, a South African philanthropist and community activist, and Music Is a Great Investment (MIAGI), a South African non-profit organisation dedicated to providing high-quality music education to underserved communities.
The music centre boasts a concert hall that seats up to 320 people, eight studios, a library, and a media room for our Zoom lessons. The centre provides a wide range of lessons, including individual lessons, ensemble coaching, orchestra, music theory, mandatory choir participation, and hosts regular performances.
The Morris Isaacson Centre for Music has a staff of about 23 people, 126 students, and an early childhood development programme with over 200 Pupils. Children between the ages of 7 and 18 enrol at the centre to take up instrumental lessons.
The centre provides high-quality music education to young people in Soweto, helping to develop well-rounded and supported children.
The ARCO Project has benefited from our strong collaboration with the Morris Isaacson Centre for Music to maintain a high standard of education delivery. Our partnership continues to grow stronger with every year.