To Whom It May Concern: I am an undergraduate student reading music at the University of Wales Bangor and I am due to proceed to my third year in September. I am currently undertaking research towards my final year dissertation and I am hoping that you might be able to help me. Firstly, to explain my interest, two years ago I won an award as part of the UK Sea Cadet Corps for which my prize was to work on board a SA Merchant Naval Vessel for my passage across to South Africa. It was a tremendous opportunity and on my arrival I was able to spend three months travelling around South Africa, staying with host families in a variety of different areas. In this way I was able to discover a little about South Africa's rich history and culture and, having completed a module entitled 'songs of protest' in my second year at university which addressed amongst other issues the music associated with the American Civil Rights struggle, I have undertaken to write a dissertation based on the 'protest songs' of South Africa, looking essentially at music in the context of the South African freedom struggle. It is a subject about which I have a lot to learn, and in this respect I am hoping very much that you might me able to point me in the right direction. I would ultimately like to once again visit South Africa, to conduct real research, but in the mean time I would be extremely grateful of any information of advice you might be able to offer me regarding relevant sources or contacts. With kindest regards, Joanna Llewellyn.
