I Am Ofentse Pitse
Conductor
Ofentse Pitse is a creative visionary who, though enchanted by the continent she comes from, possesses a wide-eyed enthusiasm for the world of architecture, music, and curated experiences. Hailing from the capital city of South Africa – Pretoria; her musical roots stem from her beloved late mother’s love for old school music, as well as her family’s deep heritage in The Salvation Army church, with her grandfather being one of the most prominent jazz trumpeters and a co-founder of the iconic Sophiatown jazz band – The Jazz Maniacs.
Pitse’s curiosity and love for music, led her to the introduction of the trumpet at just twelve-years of age. Her hard work and resilience propelled her into joining various church bands within the church, attracting classically trained mentors and coaches to guide her into growing her craft. As a result, she found herself constantly around brass bands, orchestras, and choirs, which catapulted her into creating a space for young, classically trained, disenfranchised youth to meet on Saturdays and rehearse various repertoires. She named this extremely talented group – Anchored Sound.
Her hard work and dedication have seen her break barriers in the orchestra world, garnering recognition from global brands such as Veuve Clicquot, Forbes Africa, CHANEL, Woolworths, Bidvest, Toyota Global, Netflix, and Redbull to name a few.
Additionally, one of her most notable collaborations was that of conducting and taking part in the recording with a 74-piece global female orchestra of color, in the re-imagination of Alicia Keys’ iconic pop ballad ‘If I ain’t got you’, for the spin-off of the Netflix series Bridgerton titled “Queen Charlotte”.
Her most prominent collaboration is her collaboration has been in 2024’s ‘Redbull Symphonic presents Kabza de Small and Ofentse Pitse’, a first of its kind, merging the world of orchestra with the biggest artist in the Amapiano genre.
Her pursuit for growth and excellence has secured her a place as a scholar at the prestigious University of Cape Town, where she is currently enrolled in a Postgraduate Diploma in Music Performance, with a focus on orchestra conducting. She receives world-class training from the illustrious Brandon Phillips, as well as Head of Opera UCT – Professor Jeremy Silver.
"I want to drive inclusivity because it’s hard to belong, either in a boardroom or a soundstage. Being a black woman, I have had to learn how to assert myself in male dominated environments, to defend my work. And that is my purpose. To say to others who feel that they don’t belong - you can, you do, you must. There is no limit to what you can achieve.”
Brands and Projects
As a creative academic, Ofentse ensures that each project she pursues or is invited to collaborate or participate in is done with innovative and academic excellence.
The Ofentse Pitse ochestra
The Ofentse Pitse Orchestra Concert Series is a new cultural platform curated to showcase a wide palette of music and storytelling.
THE EXPERIENCE
The idea is to fuse classical orchestra with genres such as jazz, hip-hop, and amapiano. To create a different kind of cultural experience that bridges audiences, celebrates diversity in music, and pushes the boundaries of artistry
The evening is built around a 15-piece orchestra led by Ofentse Pitse.
• Part One: A set performed by Ofentse and the orchestra, blending classical, pop, amapiano, and popular reinterpretations of music reimagined through the lens of orchestral sounds.
• Part Two: An iconic fusion set with leading amapiano artist – Youngstunna, unplugged, and accompanied by the orchestra.
The event is designed to resonate in-room and online extending reach through press coverage, social content, and amplification by featured artists.
The Ofentse Pitse Orchestra Concert Series officially launched with Episode 1 at the Youngblood Africa Gallery, introducing audiences to a new cultural experience where classical meets culture.
The event blended orchestral mastery with South African rhythm and storytelling, creating an intimate yet dynamic atmosphere.