Njabulo Nxumalo is a South African double bassist from Soweto, Johannesburg. He attended the Morris Isaacson Centre for Music, where he joined the ARCO Project in 2015 as a violinist before taking up the double bass in April 2018. Through ARCO, Njabulo was given access to an exceptional double bass and received online lessons with UK-based teacher Aisling Reilly. He also represented ARCO in solo and chamber music performances at Voorkamerfest in Darling and the Rustenburg Girls’ High School/ARCO Exchange in Cape Town in 2019. Whilst living in Soweto, Njabulo was Principal Double Bass of the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra and won first prize in the JYO Concerto Competition in 2019.
In 2021, Njabulo achieved a Merit in his ABRSM Grade 8 Double Bass examination and was awarded a place to study at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Unfortunately, he was unable to take up the offer due in part to the Covid-19 travel restrictions affecting South Africa. Instead, he moved to Stellenbosch, where he completed the Advanced Certificate in Music Literacy at Stellenbosch University.
Njabulo later became Principal Double Bass of both the Stellenbosch University Orchestra and the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. He also took part in the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s side-by-side programme and performed regularly with ensembles including the Winelands Philharmonic. He has appeared at the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in both 2022 and 2023.
His performing career has also taken him to international stages in Nigeria and the United States, including a performance at Carnegie Hall with the Africa United Youth Orchestra (AUYO).
Alongside his career as a double bassist, Njabulo is the Founder and CEO of Zwide Music Enterprise (ZME), an independent music company dedicated to developing artists and building sustainable music careers. Through artist development, music production, release strategy, distribution, marketing and music business guidance, ZME aims to create meaningful opportunities for musicians while contributing to job creation within the music industry.
Njabulo lives in Soweto with his grandmother, his family and his dogs.
