Savannah Music Festival (SMF) is delighted to announce that South African singer, composer and educator Naledi Masilo will serve as the nonprofit organization’s first year-long Artist in Residence. Masilo’s year-round residency will include three in-person visits to Savannah, with the first visit taking place from Thursday, Nov. 2 through Saturday, Nov. 4.

During her residency, Masilo will work with Savannah-area students, offer educational opportunities to members of the community and perform for nearly 10,000 area students as part of the Savannah Music Festival’s Musical Explorers program. Masilo’s residency will culminate with an original work conceived and performed with Savannah choreographer MiKeshia McPhaul in May 2024.

“Naledi Masilo is an electrifying performer with a deep passion for inspiring students,” said Savannah Music Festival Senior Director of Community Impact Jenny Woodruff. “She previously joined us as a Musical Explorers performer, educator and curriculum designer. We’re thrilled that Naledi will serve as the Savannah Music Festival’s first year-long artist in residence and know that she will have a tremendous impact on area students and members of the local community.”

An accomplished performer, natural storyteller and passionate teaching artist, Masilo is making her mark on the global music industry. She grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, graduated from the University of Cape Town and earned a degree in Jazz Performance at The New England Conservatory. In 2019, Naledi was honored as a Kennedy Center Artist in Residence, where she was mentored by legendary artists including Dee Dee Bridgewater and Jason Moran.

Selected as a resident for the Banff International Jazz and Creative Music workshop in Calgary, Canada, Masilo has performed live at Jazz @ Lincoln Center in New York, The Orbit in Johannesburg, South Africa and the Museum of African American Art in Los Angeles. She believes that music is a gift that can transform lives, inspire action and empower future generations. She specializes in teaching music history and South African jazz.

Developed in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, the Savannah Music Festival Musical Explorers program is designed to connect area K-2 students to diverse musical communities as they build fundamental music skills through listening, singing and moving to songs from a wide variety of styles. This free educational program focuses on three musical genres each semester and concludes with a series of interactive concerts.