On October 16th, the Christel House South Africa students joined the international string quartet, Quartet of Peace, as a part of a concert to raise funds for music education at the school.  Recently, twenty-six violins were donated to CHSA's music program, but we currently do not have a string instructor at the school.  "With the money we raise we’ll send one of our own teachers to acquire the skill and hopefully see some talented violinists emerge from our school,” said Clarke Schilder, the music teacher at CHSA.

“We are very excited by this opportunity, not only for our young learners to sing alongside such esteemed musicians and to get our violin programme up and running, but also to help create awareness among the Christel House networks and locals about what the Quartet of Peace does around the globe, which is to inspire peace and unity through music,” said Schilder.

The Quartet of Peace was formed to honor the four South African Nobel Peace Prize winners, continuing their work by bringing hope to children abandoned by inhumanity.  Each of the quartet's instruments bears a name and an inscription recognizing these great leaders, including Hope for Nelson Mandela, Peace for Bishop Desmond Tutu, Reconciliation for FW De Klerk and Freedom for Dr Albert Luthuli.  The quartet travels and performs internationally, raising funds for humanitarian causes.

Students from San Souci Girls High and Fezeka High School in Gugulethu rounded out the chorus for this remarkable event. Schilder said, "Music is our one universal language; through it so much can be achieved.”