Music spoke louder than words could, when this young Macassar violinist decided to stop and play a hymn for people living on the street.
Cape Town, South Africa (12 March 2026) – Violinist, school-goer, and runner Matthew Du Toit played for an audience the world often walks past without a second glance. Some of them cried.
Knowing the daily struggles that people living on the street face, he wanted to share the light with them, even if just for a brief moment.
“I saw tears in some of their eyes,” he wrote afterward. “It reminded me that homeless people are not invisible. They are human, with hearts that still feel, hope, and believe.”
Matthew shared the video online, and it amassed over 32,000 views in under 24 hours. People were inspired and moved by his kindness and thoughtfulness.
Matthew believes in sharing music wherever he can, it’s his thing. He’s performed in classrooms, in choirs, at weddings, and in places and for people who wouldn’t normally encounter classical music. He sees it less as charity and more as sharing something good.
“To expose the greatness of classical music – whether it’s people that don’t understand it or haven’t heard it before. If it makes you feel something, that’s the best.” he tells us.
He also runs. Both things, he says, are how he wants to make a difference.
“I think I have inspired some kids, and even some adults out there, which means it’s working.”
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Running came at the same time, after what he describes as ‘getting into the wrong stuff’, and he used both music and movement to pull himself back.
Five years on, he’s run seven half marathons and last September completed a 100km charity run for the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, starting at his house in Macassar, going through Kuils River, Parow, Maitland, the Waterfront, all the way to Green Point and back.
In December, a video of him playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata for his class at Zandvliet High got 230,000 views. We shared that video, and days later, it featured on screens across South Africa, on national news.
Matthew says he did it because he wanted his classmates to know that it’s never too late to to learn, or to discover music that moves you.
“I wanted to show kids at school that nothing is limited, and it’s never too late to learn. Not just the violin but anything. It also gave them a taste of classical music in real life, and how moving it can be.”
He’s since kept up with his class performances, and has even performed at schools beyond his own.
When we spoke to Matthew briefly after his performance for the homeless, he explained what drove him to play for an audience that most classical conservatoires don’t often consider.
“I think they need such music, especially since they are going through a lot.”
Looking ahead, Matthew will be leaving school for a new chapter in Namibia, where he’ll be working as a teacher, paying the love he has gained for music forward.
“I’ll be leaving soon for Namibia, where I’ve been given an opportunity to work as a music teacher. This is a big step for me and a new chapter in my life. Music has always been something close to my heart, and I’m grateful for the chance to share that passion with others and continue growing through it.”
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