Thank you very much for attending this celebrative reception tonight. Among our guests, there are esteemed politicians and businessmen, leading figures from our government, music industry, business community and a massive amount of talent in one room tonight. Your presence has brought glory, though lesser than that of angels, but we feel highly esteemed with your presence.
A country is its people, the pulse of a people can be traced in the great rivers they drink, the mountains and grass lands that feed their livestock, the fruit of the land and the hue of cities and villages that are connected by the sounds of the music of the people.
Tonight we gather not only to break bread and reminisce about our great country’s past, present and future, but we also gather to remind ourselves of the vast amount of work that is yet to be done. We celebrate every effort employed towards ensuring every composer receives his or her due for their toil but we are also reminded to raise the flag and shout from the top of our country’s hills about how beautiful our music creations have been over the years, and yes ladies and gentleman, we must expect the world to pause and applause the music of this land for there is nothing like it.
SAMRO is run on sound business principles and the further drive to whip up a culture of excellence in what we do and a measure of pride in ensuring that we have had a part in administrating a growing organisation which now sits at a revenue of half a Billion per annum, 14 000 members and growing and continuously refined systems and attitudes all for the benefit of the composer.
The CEO has given a compelling presentation about the business of SAMRO, the efforts of the collective Executive team in securing and writing more business in this financial year, a refined approach in growing SAMRO and might I add, we do have an executive that deserves an applause for their efforts going beyond the call of duty in many instances to make sure the SAMRO Star shines brighter and higher touching the milky way.
For my part as Chairman while working closely with the CEO and the Board of Directors, I have things that keep me awake and they have become my dream!
I intend to ensure in my tenure that –
- We share intelligence on new models of doing business to young and upcoming composers so that their creations can live on all platforms, radio, television, online, film, local and international and ladies and gentlemen, for them to run growing businesses built not only on one revenue stream but a few.
- It is part of the greater plan to grow into other territories as I work hard with the Board, the CEO and the able Executive and collective SAMRO team to grow SAMRO’s income into a sizeable amount.
- To use SAMRO to reach out and not only encourage composition but also to preach the power of differentiating and never to be afraid to venture into roads less travelled in composing unheard of works that will grace the stages of the world.
- To drive a culture of excellence and prudence as I toil with my colleagues in the Board putting SAMRO first.
- To be accountable, to be good listeners and masters of execution.
- To be global in our strategic thinking as we chart forward and ensure that strategy cascades to every man and woman in the corridors of SAMRO as I believe ladies and gentlemen that this is one of the ways we can grow each distribution.
As I close, it took one bullet fired by a fool from a handgun to start the First World War, it took an era of great songs to usher in an era that brought us a new move in music production from a great divide as comparing the Beatles to Harari, Letta Mbuli to Cesaria Evora, Stimela to Osibisa and Fela Kuti, Mpharanyana and the likes of Curtis Mayfield, all the above were different but ushered in seasons that out lived many of them, while some still live to see the impact they have had in the lives of many South Africans.
Sithi ke e SAMRO, lendaba i straight, SAMRO is in business and MUST outlive all of us.
Among the many traditional values for the Chinese nation, there is one that has been particularly deep rooted and it goes: the favour of a drop of water from others, should be returned with a burst of spring.
In other words, each composition should be able to start a revolution or bring peace in a tor country. That is how powerful music can be.
Wherever you go across the globe, and whenever you need some upliftment through music, please keep make sure you take along with you our pride, our music, our heritage for it will always remind you of home.
South Africa is a great country!
Rev Abe Sibiya
