Who is Gabriel Shai....? Some Facts
PERSONAL FACTS:
· Learned to play the guitar at 9 years
· Took lessons on drums at 11 years
· Accompanied his guitar playing with singing before his voice matured
· At 11 years wrote first award-winning song
· Self taught to play the piano - expanded his versatility and repertoire and improved his voice range and musical proficiency
• 12... Accepted as student at Jeffrey Corey's Performing Arts Workshop in Johannesburg which was attended by a number of other successful actors, actresses and singers
• 19... Enrolled at the Pretoria Technikon Conservatoire of Light Music. Having not learned to read music, he was accepted solely on his practical ability
PROFESSIONAL FACTS:
• Numerous public performances from age 11
· 1989 first solo public performance at 17 years old was so well received he decided to pursue a career in musical entertainment.
· Purchased some basic portable equipment and started performing
· Developed a fan club which resulted in demand for him to perform at various venues
· Played for two years at various gigs in Gauteng
· 1993 was signed up for 6 months as resident musician at the Venda Sun Hotel where he contributed to the music for a mini extravaganza
· 1996 moved to Cape Town and became one of the most popular solo entertainers at well known venues
· Also performed at corporate functions, weddings, celebrations and parties in areas as far flung as Bloemfontein, Riversdale, Pretoria, Klerksdorp, Durban, Stellenbosch, Hermanus, Grahamstown, PE, Langebaan, Saldanha, Vredenburg and many more.
· Drawing on his ability to play a wide range of music and his capacity for entertaining audiences of any age, he tuned in and used his ability to write an array of music targeting a variety of tastes, with lyrics and music to touch the heart of the listener.
· 1998 Produced his first CD produced by The Alien (Alli Heyns) and his team of well known studio musicians.
· 1999 – present Gabriel continues to be popular entertainment choice booked for corporate, wedding, birthdays, dinner dances, Bar/Batmitzvahs and high profile venues in and around South Africa.
· January 2003 Gabriel was flown up to Mpumalanga to entertain a three day conference alongside high profile bands and comedians, including names such as John Vlismas; Coleske Brothers, Mean Mister Mustard and the Rocky Horror picture show cast.
· February 2003 Completed four month residency at South Africa's super club DOCKSIDE, where Gabriel entertained in the Coral Lounge for the V.I.P. guests and the high profile events happening at the club.
· February 2004 Enrolled at the CityVarsity School of Media and Arts to study and practically learn about Sound Engineering.
∙ the next two years was filled with a theoretical and practical knowledge explosion of learning modern 21st century sound engineering techniques.
· March 2006 awarded a two year full time Sound Engineering Diploma.
As time passes, so does the ever changing demands of an entertainer, and up to now 2010, Gabriel constantly updates his Live performance and his DJ sets as well, to cater
to the changing tastes and demands that his audience require from him, his constantly booked for venues every week at a minimum of five nights a week, and is constantly featured at
corporate functions and weddings, as well as any celebration that requires the musical entertainer Gabriel Shai.
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