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12 March 2018 Photo Hanno Otto
Odeion School of Music opening concert presented on 17 March 2018
The Odeion School of Music Camerata 2018.
The University of the Free State’s Odeion School of Music is presenting the annual opening concert on Saturday, 17 March at 7:30pm at the Odeion. The programme will comprise a curated sequence of solo recitals, chamber music, including ensembles recited by the talented OSM students.

The Free State Youth Wind Ensemble will make their debut as part of the programme with an Ammerland recital by the Dutch composer Jacob den Haan (1959 -) as well as Majestia by James Swearingen (1947 -), an American born composer. This composition will be accompanied by a variety of diverse works.

George Foster and colleague Danré Strydom founded the ensemble in the form of a collaboration initiative between the Odeion School of Music and the Free State Symphony Orchestra. Six cellists, Chris van Zyl, Aschlin Grobbelaar, Marcus Motaung, Matthys Coetzee and John Minnaar will join forces with Prof Anmari van der Westhuizen to recite the riveting Requiem for Six Cellos and Piano, Op.66 by David Popper. 

During the concert, the OSM will bestow the Order of the OSM on string pedagogues Francois and Tilla Henkins, as a gesture of gratitude and respect for their lifelong dedication to the education and mentoring of several excellent South African violinists and cellists.

The OSM Camerata will end the concert with a rendition of the Romanian Folk Dances, Sz.56 Béla Bartok for Orchestra under the baton of Xavier Cloete. The OSM Camerata is the laureate of the first International Ictus Music Competition (University and Conservatory Orchestras) presented last year for the first time. For more information about the Odeion School of Music and the upcoming concert please visit the website.

News Archive

Measures to ensure safer campuses are investigated
2010-04-16

The safety of students, lecturers and staff of the University of the Free State (UFS) is of the utmost importance for the management of this institution and deliberations are continuously taking place on what can be done to improve the levels of safety of the respective campuses in Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa.

A set of recommendations was recently tabled by our rectorate that make provision for various measures for safer campuses. According to Prof. Niel Viljoen, Vice-Rector: Operations at the UFS, attention will urgently be paid to the following recommendations:

  • The instalment of alarm systems, linked to the central security control room, in all buildings on the respective campuses.
  • The instalment of “panic systems” in strategic places in buildings.
  • Where possible, better admission control to buildings, especially office blocks.
  • Better management en integration of contracted-in security workers.
  • Enhancement/upgrading and better monitoring of the security control room and sharpening of reaction times in cases of emergency.
  • Repair and maintenance of the current border fencing.
  • A survey was once again done of all the so-called “dark spots” on campus and the instalment more effective lighting are currently in progress.
  • Safeguarding of footways and parking areas by means of cameras and panic systems that will be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Better and more visible patrolling of the pedestrian walkways and campuses.

Regular and structured feedback regarding the safety situation at all campuses shall also be done.

According to Prof. Viljoen the following recommendations shall also be investigated further:

- The feasibility of the “closing” of the campus, especially in terms of transport implications, costs and effectiveness.
- The possible closing of the small pedestrian gates in order to channel pedestrian traffic through the existing and manned gates.
- The feasibility of the compulsory wearing of ID cards by all personnel, students and temporary workers.
 

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