Russell and Associates adopts a member of The Black Tie Ensemble’s Incubator Scheme

Russell and Associates is very pleased to have sponsored talented young Tshepo Dikale, a member of the Black Tie Ensemble’s (BTE) Incubator Scheme in 2009. The Black Tie Ensemble is a South African opera company founded with the intention of preserving and extending operatic tradition. The BTE is primarily sponsored by the Royal Bafokeng Holdings (RBH), the investment vehicle for the Royal Bafokeng Nation, a key client of Russell and Associates.

BTE’s Incubator Scheme is aimed at affording talented artists with no formal training an opportunity to further their studies, and to gain experience and to possibly end up joining the BTE. Incubator members go through a three-year apprenticeship where they receive training and also a chance to perform and gain stage experience.

A Pretoria-based restaurateur initiated an innovative ‘Adopt an Artist Scheme’ for companies or individuals to adopt an artist to help them with everyday expenses so that they can concentrate on their studies (as the BTE funding provides a stipend only).

Tshepo is from Phokeng, he was earmarked for the Incubator Scheme during one of BTE’s schools outreach programmes in Phokeng while he was still in matric. He recently performed with other members of the BTE Chorus at Russell and Associates's tenth anniversary celebrations.

For more information on the BTE, please visit their website www.blackties.co.za.