Festival Staff

Festival Staff 2017

Festival Staff 2018 will be announced in September 2017

Violin

Johanna RoosViolin

Johanna Roos is a passionate chamber musician. She teaches violin and coach chamber music from home and has lectured part-time at the University of Pretoria since 2005. She has adjudicated numerous Festivals and Eisteddfods, including the Final of the ATKV Muziq competition. As a student she toured Canada, Belgium and Germany with the Jeunesse Musicales World Symphony Orchestra 94/95 and to Moscow with SANYO 1998. In South Africa she obtained her MMus cum laude at UP. After winning the string category of the ATKV Forte Competition in 1995, she was awarded a SAMRO scholarship and won the Overseas Scholarship Competition (Nina Barry and DJ Roode) from UNISA. She continued her studies at the Royal College of Music (London) with an Associated Board Scholarship and obtained the Postgraduate Diploma (Solo- and Ensemble Recitalist) cum laude, under the tutelage of Natalia Boyarsky. In the UK she worked as Assistant Violin teacher at the Yehudi Menuhin School and was an artist for Music in Hospitals, performing with Elena Nalimova and as soloist (Dvorak Violin Concerto) with the Southbank Sinfonia. Johanna participated in Geza Szilvay’s Colourstrings Workshops in London and it still has a profound impact on her approach as pedagogue. In South Africa she played ad hock for the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa and has performed as soloist with many orchestras. She recorded the CD Violin Expressions with Annalien Ball and is the leader of String quartet, Evolution of 4

Yvonne FryeViolin

Yvonne Frye began learning the violin at the age of six, and received violin tuition from Prof.Vesselin Paraschkevov at the Folkwanghochschule Essen, in her secondary school years. As a tertiary student, she studied with Prof. Helge Slaatto and Mr John Lambos at the Hoschschule für Musik, Detmold, graduating with a Diploma of Violin Pedagogy. She continued her musical studies at the Kärtner Landeskonservatorium in Klagenfurt, Austria in the violin class of Prof. Helfried Fister, who was her most influential and important teacher.

In addition to her teaching at music schools in Lüdinghausen and Beckum-Warendorf (Germany), Yvonne Frye has performed as a chamber musician in various ensemble combinations. As a freelance musician, she has also worked with many orchestras including the Detmolder Kammerorchester, and was concert master of the Kourion-Orchester Münster.

In 1996 she met Geza und Csaba Szilvay. Fascinated by this concept of instrumental tuition for beginners, she began teaching Colourstrings and wrote about the method in her diploma thesis. Working closely with Geza Szilvay, Yvonne translated the handbook for teachers, and other Colourstrings literature into German.

Since 2007 Yvonne is teaching at the East-Helsinki-Music-Institute. As a lecturer she is giving Colourstrings seminars around the world: Münster Musikhochschule, ESTA Germany, ESTA Austria, Sibelius Academy Helsinki, Bundesakademie Trossingen, Hochschule für Musik Hans Eisler Berlin, Chile (Foji), South Africa, Australia, Poland (Censa) , Spain, Greece, Switzerland, Denmark etc. In addition she teaching chamber music for young musicians and gives masterclasses for young violinists.

Since 2009 Yvonne Frye is teaching the Violin Pedagogy at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.

Ané van StadenViolin

Ané van Staden (neé du Toit) obtained her MMus (cum laude) in Violin Performance from the University of Pretoria in 2015 under Irene Tsoniff. Since 2008, Ané has been active as chamber musician and soloist. She has had lessons and master classes with violinists Ivry Gitlis, Corina Belcea, Natalia Lomeiko, Daniel Rowland and Frank Stadler.

During her years of study she had lessons with Johanna Roos, and was awarded numerous prizes such as the prestigious DJ Roode Overseas Scholarship for Teachers at the UNISA Overseas Scholarship Competition in 2010, and the Jennie Perreira Prize for Strings and the Overall Second Prize at the UNISA South African Scholarship Competition in 2009. This enabled her to further her musical education in the UK. Ané was also awarded a Pretorium trust Bursary in 2008 and 2010. In 2009 she was selected to participate in the UNISA National String Competition and chosen as a concert master of the Miagi Orchestra. Between 2009 and 2014, she toured Europe with Miagi performing at festivals such as the Young Euro Classic Festival, Schleswig-holstein Festival and the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele. She also appeared as soloist with Miagi in 2012.

Ané is a founding member of the Evolution of 4 String Quartet and performs with them throughout the country since 2012. In 2014. Ané was appointed as the concertmaster of the Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra in 2015 and often appears with them as soloist. She also performs with the JPO, JMI and other South African orchetras on a freelance basis. She shares her passion for the violin through teaching and maintains a private violin studio.

Zanta HofmeyrViolin

Zanta Hofmeyr graduated from the Juilliard School of Music in New York where she was a student of Dorothy Delay and Hyo Kang. After her New York debut in Carnegie Recital Hall (now Weil recital hall), she returned to South Africa in 1985. Zanta teaches violin in Johannesburg and at the University of Pretoria. She often acts as string coach for youth orchestras and has been on the faculty of chamber music festivals in the USA and Stellenbosch, SA. She performs regularly as soloist with symphony orchestras in South Africa and was lauded for her performances of the Britten, Beethoven and Bruch concerti. In 2016 she performed the 10 Beethoven sonatas with Bulgarian pianist Ilia Radoslavov touring SA and the US. She has several recordings with different artists and has just released a new CD of French violin sonatas.

Evert van NiekerkViolin

Evert van Niekerk started his violin tuition in Pretoria with Jenny Pereira
in August 1977. In 1981 he went to Denise Sutton (Then Concertmaster of the
Pact orchestra). He completed his Matric at the Pretoria Art, Ballet, Music
and Drama school. He is a sought after recording artist, having played on
several of the foremost South African artists¹ cd¹s, and many movie
soundracks, in particular ³Faan se trein² and ³Knysna² where he performed
the solo violin parts.
His recordings also currently play on Classic FM and RSG. Since 2003, he has
been a regular performer with Salon Music in Pretoria, as well as the
Johannnesburg Philharmonic and Festival Orchestras, and with the latter as
soloist, playing JS Bach and Vivaldi concerto¹s under the baton of Richard
Cock. He has recently made his debut solo CD ³Lofsnare². He is married to
Laura, and they have two children, Joshua (19) and Christine(15)

Viara Markova Violin

Viara Markova started playing a violin at the age of five. She completed her studies at Sofia Music School and Bulgarian Academy of Music in the violin class of Prof. Petar Hristoskov.In 1983 she was appointed a concertmaster of Shoumen Philharmonic Orchestra. She was privileged to perform Brahms Violin concerto, Mozart –Concerto no: 4 in D major, Vivaldi-Four Seasons, and Stancovitch-Simphonia Pastoral with SPO.

In 1992 she joined Boputhatswana Chamber Orchestra and in 1994 was appointed a concertmaster for two years. During this period she had the opportunity to perform Bach concerto for two violins in d minor, and Bach Concerto for violin and oboe in d minor, as well many string quartets.
In 1996, Viara moved to Pretoria to work with PACT orchestra.
Since the closure of the State Theatre in year 2000, Viara is working as a freelance violinist and performed regularly with the Chamber Orchestra of SA and JPO.
She is a member of Johannesburg Festival Orchestra and UNISA Music Foundation Orchestra.Viara is performing with Trio Venato, Agathe ensemble and Johannesburg Music Initiative. She is teaching violin and viola at Pro Arte Alphen Park.
Viara holds Fellowship with Trinity College London performance diploma.

Isabella RouxViolin

Isabella grew up in the Free State where she started as a violin student of Francois Henkins. At the age of 12 she became a member of the Free State String Orchestra, which later became the Free State Youth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Gerhard Geist. She went on to study under Prof. Derek Ochse and was a part of the Concortium Musicum during her university studies at UOVS and also passed her audition to become a professional violinist in the PACOFS Symphony Orchestra.

After her studies she was appointed as a teacher at the MUSICON in Bloemfontein. In 2001 she took up her appointment as Head of Strings at St John’s College in Houghton, where she teaches boys from Grade 0 to A Levels, playing in various string orchestras in the pre prep, prep and high school.

She has worked closely with ESTA, having attended the British Summer School in Cheltenham numerous times under the guidance of Sheila Nelson, Simon Cartledge and Pat Legg. If she finds time, she loves to play orchestra and was until recently part of the JFO under the direction of Richard Cock.

Viola

Kate MooreViola

Kate Moore has been playing viola since 2000. In 2004 she was the leader of the South African National Youth Orchestra viola section, and in 2006 she toured to Bonn, Germany for the Beethoven Festival with the same orchestra. During her undergraduate studies at the University of Pretoria, she performed Mozart’s Simfonia Concertante and Telemann’s Concerto in G with the University of Pretoria Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa on numerous occasions, including at the Klein Karoo Nationale Kunsfees (KKNK). Kate has freelanced with numerous South African orchestras, including the Johannesburg Philharmonic, the South African Chamber Orchestra, the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra and the Johannesburg Music Initiative. After completing her BMus with distinction in 2007 from the University of Pretoria, Kate was awarded the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Overseas Scholarship, which allowed her to pursue her postgraduate studies under Dr Louise Lansdown at the Royal Northern College of Music. During her studies at the RNCM, Kate toured to Italy with the College Orchestra for a three week music festival in Montepulciano, where she performed in symphony and chamber music concerts. In 2010 she completed her PGDip in viola performace, as well as the ABRSM Fellowship with distinction. Kate has had masterclasses with numerous violists, including Thomas Riebl, Peter Langgartner, Marco van Pagee, Klaus Christa, Susan du Bois, Esther Haffner and Ilse Wincor. She currently teaches at Kingsmead College and St Stithians Girls College in Johannesburg, as well as privately

Elmarie van der VyverViola

Elmarie van der Vyver is an instrumentalist that plays the viola and the violin in both the contemporary and in the historically informed performance practice (HIPP) idioms.
She started her studies on the violin at the age of six and completed a BMus degree at the University of Pretoria, followed by a MMus in viola performance at the Northwest University. Her teachers include Alan Solomon, Piet Koornhof, and most recently the Baroque specialist Antoinette Lohmann of the Conservatorium of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
Elmarie has been active as soloist and chamber musician. She has also been active as member of most of the main orchestras in Gauteng for many years. She performs at many of the arts festivals in South Africa on a regular basis. She currently teaches viola at the University of Pretoria. She also teaches privately and adjudicates at eistedfodds, music festivals and competitions.
She has attended numerous masterclasses and courses and played for the recordings of many artist’s CD’s.
Her interest in music lies with the development and performance of early music as well as the promoting and premiering of contemporary and new compositions. She has an appetite for unknown music – to find the music, put interesting programmes together and introduce audiences to music that was not known before.

Cello

Jessica BaileyCello

Jessica Bailey was born in 1960 in Johannesburg. She studied cello with Betty Pack from the age of seven. In 1977 after leaving school she studied in Geneva with Pierre Fournier and in 1978 she studied under Joan Dickson at the Royal College of Music in London. Jessica played in a piano trio with Gerard Korsten from the age of nine until leaving school. She has continued to perform as a soloist and in chamber groups with musicians including Malcolm Nay, Albie van Schalkwyk, Jill Richards, Marian Lewin, Gerard Korsten, Johanna Roos and Piet Koornhof.

Jessica is married to artist John Clarke. She is currently teaching privately and performing as a soloist and with the quartet.

Susan MoutonCello

Susan Mouton grew up in Durban, where she began cello lessons at the age of 10. She commenced her B.Mus studies at the University of Pretoria under Professor Gerard van de Geest in 1979. Here she was the recipient of the Pretorium Trust bursary on 3 occasions, as well one of the winners of the SA Music Scholarship. After she graduated, she joined the NSO in 1983, and was appointed Principal cellist in 1987. She studied with Marian Lewin while completing her Performer’s Diploma at Wits University, and was one of the winners of the Unisa Overseas Study Bursaries in 1987, which she used to spend 3 months attending master classes in Europe with a number of esteemed cellists, including Arto Noras, William Pleeth, Johannes Goritski and Wolfang Laufer.

She is currently Principal cellist of the JPO- in addition to her orchestral playing, she is active as a chamber musician, and is frequently asked to examine for Unisa. During the past few years, she has also been involved in numerous productions with the well-known Afrikaans singer, Jannie du Toit

Karin ScholtzCello

Karin obtained a BMus (Piano Performing) from UP in 1987. She studied piano with Stephanie Hollis, Paddy Jeffery and Prof Joseph Stanford and cello with Phyllis Thorne, the late Prof Gerard van de Geest as well as Glenda Piek; both piano and cello until her final BMus-year. She also obtained a Performer’s Licentiate (Piano) from UNISA in 1987 and a Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDHE) from UP in 1988.

Karin has been a teacher for the GDE for 27 years, where she has been involved with music as a school subject (Gr. 10 – 12) as well as individual teaching of piano & cello and music theory in small groups. Her individual students range from preschoolers to Grade 12 learners. They get performance opportunities on several levels: concerts, eisteddfods, master classes, competitions, etc. More advanced students are involved with ensemble or orchestral work. Most students are annually entered and successfully pass their music exams with UNISA & ABRSM, as well as TRINITY GUILDHALL. Several of her students have already pursued further tertiary music studies.

As a former organiser of the youth orchestra on the West Rand, she has been the organiser / coordinator of the annual Instrumental Eisteddfod on the West Rand, for the past 12 years.

She is a master teacher (GDE), merit teacher (UNISA) and NSC-music examiner / marker for the GDE. She is also an active accompanist and ensemble player.

Karin is married to Francois, a mechanical engineer, and has two adult kids, Friederike and Anton.

Singing and Rhythmic Development

Zelda MartinRhythmic Development

Zelda’s Music Education journey started in 1987 after completing her Bachelor of Music (Education) at WITS. After teaching at a number of schools, Zelda’s music education took on a different direction when she attended the Colourstrings Summer School in London in 2007. It was during this course that Zelda was introduced to Kodaly and the importance of developing constant musicianship within pupils as well as teachers. Kodaly’s philosophy was not only to be used in the classroom but also in private, individual music lessons. Zelda has subsequently qualified as a Colourstrings Kindergarten Tutor having completed Level 2 Kodaly training in London.

In 2008, Zelda completed her Masters in Music Education at the University of Pretoria focusing on the principles and merits of starting music from pre-instrumental Kindergarten training right through to instrumental training.
Her passion and focus through the last few years has been facilitating and running Kindergarten as well as instrumental courses for teachers and students in an effort to uplift music education and musicianship in South Africa.

Eulandri VenterSinging and Rhythmic Development

Eulandri Venter (23), born and raised in Pretoria, is an aspiring soprano who has received tutelage in classical singing from Dr Hanli Stapela since 2012. During 2011 she completed her UNISA grade 8 piano examination and continued to study BMus with the aim of pursuing a career in singing. Eulandri graduated from her BMus in vocal performance (cum laude) in 2015 and is currently busy with her MMus in vocal performance. Throughout her studies she has participated in numerous masterclasses and competitions such as the Philip H. Moore Music Competition. She is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and has received UP achievement awards each year during her undergraduate studies along with the SAMRO music bursary in 2013. Eulandri is now a part time lecturer in singing methodology at the University of Pretoria and performs regularly at private and public concerts and events.