Eastern Cape Youth Orchestra Foundation
Our mission is to provide opportunities for participants to immerse themselves in an environment that fosters musical excellence.
About us
The East London Wind Orchestra (ELWO) was founded in 2013 to give young musicians in East London the opportunity to experience a program similar to that of the South African National Youth Orchestra. At the time, music programs in the region operated largely in isolation, with limited opportunities for inter-school collaboration.
ELWO was established by Wesley and Lisa Wong, who were instrumental in its creation and development. Both came from strong wind band traditions—Lisa’s father, the late Mervyn Solomon, was a respected conductor and Wesley’s trumpet teacher. Solomon became the first conductor of ELWO, leading the orchestra for its first three years and contributing much of the repertoire performed during that time.
In 2019, ELWO evolved into the Eastern Cape Wind Orchestra (ECWO). This expansion was motivated by the Wongs’ desire to spend more time with their young family while ensuring the program’s growth, as well as conductor Tiaan Uys’s interest in establishing a similar initiative in Port Elizabeth. This transition ushered in a new era for the orchestra, allowing it to broaden its reach while staying true to its founding vision.
Today, ECWO continues to thrive, guided by the legacy of its founders and the dedication of its leadership team.
Meet our Team
Tiago Vital – Director
Tiago Vital is known for his outstanding versatility as a multi-instrument and all-round renaissance man. He is involved in almost every genre of music around Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape. He was heavily involved in the South African National Youth Orchestra, having played both Principal Double Bass and Principal Tuba for the Orchestra, Principal Tuba for the Windband and played for the Brass Ensemble. He has been the Principal Tubist for the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra since 2013 (Age of 18), one of the directors of the Eastern Cape Youth Orchestra Foundation and he is currently the Lower Brass and Percussion teacher at, the prestigious, Grey High School, in Gqeberha, South Africa.
Anél Young – Director
Anél is a music teacher at Summerwood Primary School, where she inspires young learners to discover the joy of music. Having been part of ECWO in her youth, she is now proud to serve on the team that continues to nurture and grow the next generation of musicians. With ECWO holding such a special place in her heart, she is dedicated to sharing her passion and creating meaningful musical experiences for her students.
Anél van Deemter – Treasurer
Anél van Deemter started her B Mus (Ed) Degree in 1991 at the Nelson Mandela University (formerly UPE). She started her flute studies with Dr Erna Cloete and continued tuition under senior lecturer, Mr Theo Boekkooi.
Anél is a passionate teacher who started her teaching career in 1995. She is focused on the pedagogics of teaching combined with instilling a love for music in all her learners. She has a wide variety of musical interests, not only flute, but also piano, recorder, musical theatre and choir. She is currently a music teacher at Summerwood Primary School, teaches privately and is the music coordinator for the Summerstrand Dutch Reformed Church.
Anél has been part of the Eastern Cape Youth Orchestra Foundation for the last 8 years. She is very passionate about the foundation as it provides a solid foundation and wonderful opportunities for future musicians.
Danielle Munro – Team Member
Born and raised in Mossel Bay, Western Cape, Danielle Munro began playing the violin at the age of five. After completing her schooling at Outeniqua High School, she pursued a Bachelor of Music in violin performance at Nelson Mandela University, graduating in 2022 under the tutelage of renowned violinist David Bester. During her undergraduate studies, she performed with the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, served as concertmaster of the Nelson Mandela University Orchestra, and was an active member of the Nelson Mandela University String Ensemble. She also participated in the Stellenbosch Chamber Music Festival (2017–2019), experiences that have greatly contributed to her career as a performer.
Following chronic performance-related injuries sustained throughout her teenage and undergraduate years, Munro redirected her focus toward research and violin pedagogy. She completed her Master of Music in Musicology at Nelson Mandela University in 2024. Her thesis, The relationship between violinists and performance-related musculoskeletal disorders: an explorative case study in the South African context, examined awareness and experiences of PRMDs among South African violinists.
Her work is now centred primarily on teaching, with a strong emphasis on healthy, sustainable technique, fostering love and passion for music, mindful practice strategies, and informed musicianship. She remains committed to ongoing professional development in specialised violin pedagogy. One of her primary professional ambitions is to contribute to the restructuring and strengthening of music education in South Africa. She currently serves as Secretary of the South African Society of Music Teachers (Gqeberha branch), where she is actively involved in supporting and advancing professional music teaching standards in the region.
Simon Cameron – Team Member
Simon Cameron is currently Bachelor of Music student studying Classical Percussion and Drum Set.
His passion for music deepened while studying drum set and performing in ensembles at Grey High School under the direction of Shawn Lyon, where he also held several leadership positions.
He currently teaches Drum Set and Percussion at Grey Junior School and Summerwood Primary School, and regularly performs throughout Port Elizabeth, including in the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.
He has attended numerous workshops and courses, including the Eastern Cape Wind Orchestra (ECWO) from 2018 to 2022, the ECWO All Stars in 2023, and the ECWO Conducting Course from 2023 to 2024. He also performed with the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (ECPYO) from 2024 to 2025, and in August 2024 took part in a tour with the African United Youth Orchestra (AUYO), which culminated in a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City, where he served as principal timpanist.
He has received lessons from numerous percussionists around South Africa, including Stéphane Pechoux, Magdelena de Vries, Dario Broccardo, Stephan Galvin and Heinrich Lategan
Tiaan Uys – Director
Tiaan is a versatile multi-instrumentalist playing clarinet, saxophone, double bass, and bass guitar across orchestral, jazz, rock, and contemporary scenes. He’s involved in chamber music and helps run the Eastern Cape Wind Orchestra. Alongside his musical expertise, he cultivates a forward-thinking entrepreneurial approach in the music space.
He currently teaches at Summerwood Primary School in Gqeberha, South Africa
Gareth Burley – Director
Gareth Burley is a business leader, media personality, and community builder with a strong track record of driving growth and impact across diverse sectors. As one of the directors of the Eastern Cape Youth Orchestra Foundation (ECYOF), he brings a wealth of business acumen, leveraging years of experience in entrepreneurship, brand activations, and corporate partnerships to support the organisation’s vision.
Alongside his business career, Gareth is a well-known media voice, with a long-standing presence in radio and sports journalism. His on-air experience and network across the media landscape strengthen ECYOF’s ability to connect with wider audiences and stakeholders.
Deeply rooted in the community, Gareth is passionate about youth development, local empowerment, and creating opportunities that bridge business, culture, and education. His leadership within ECYOF reflects a commitment to nurturing the next generation of musicians while building sustainable pathways for the arts in the Eastern Cape.
Janneke Jacobs – Strings Coordinator
Janneke Jacobs matriculated in 1991 at Pearson High School. Tertiary education: BCur in 1995 and BCur Hon in 2010. She started violin lessons at age 6 and had the following teachers; Mrs A Swanepoel, Professor Jack de Wet and Miss Doina Bruno. She was a member of the SANYO (South African National Youth Orchestra) in 1989 and 1990. She has also played in the ECPO (Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra) since 1989. She has been teaching violin privately since 2015 and is currently teaching violin at Summerwood Primary School and Pearson High School.
Quinn Kakora – Team Member
Quinn Kakora, originally from Durban, is a South African tubist, euphonium player,percussionist, and composer whose work spans performance, composition, and musiceducation. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of the Free State,majoring in Music Technology, Composition, and Arrangement. He is currently completing a Master’s degree in Music Composition at Rhodes University, where he continues to develop his compositional voice alongside active performance work.
As a performer, Quinn is proficient on tuba, euphonium, and percussion, and received his instrumental training under the guidance of Dr. George Foster and Maritsa Barlow. His musical development has been shaped by both formal academic study and extensive ensemble experience across orchestral, wind, and chamber music settings.
In addition to his performance and compositional pursuits, Quinn has been actively involved in community music education. He served as a brass tutor at the Bloemfontein Life Changing Centre, a community outreach project in Bloemfontein dedicated to providing brass education to the youth of Heidedal. Through this work, he contributed to expanding access to music education and fostering musical growth within underserved communities.
Quinn has performed with a wide range of ensembles across South Africa, including the KwaZulu-Natal Youth Wind Band, Durban City Orchestra, Free State Youth Wind Ensemble, Free State Youth Orchestra, the South African National Youth Orchestra, the Free State Symphonic Orchestra, the Nelson Mandela University Symphony Orchestra, and the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra. These experiences have afforded him broad exposure to diverse repertoire and performance contexts, strengthening his versatility as a musician.
He was a founding member of both the Odeion School of Music Percussion Ensemble and the Odeion School of Music Brass Quintet. Notably, the Brass Quintet achieved national recognition by winning the Open Category at the National Ensemble Competition in Pretoria in 2022.
Quinn’s career reflects a strong commitment to artistic excellence, collaborative music-making, and the continued development of South Africa’s musical landscape through performance, composition, and education.
Team
Hanlie Young – General Manager
