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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

‘Mandela’s principles are important for business’
2012-10-30

Photo: Leatitia Pienaar
29 October 2012

“Respect a person’s time. That is the ultimate show of respect for a human being.” Zelda la Grange, the right hand of retired President Nelson Mandela for 18 years, shared some of his principles with an audience at the UFS Business School.

Zelda was Mr Mandela’s private secretary and became his private assistant on his retirement. At a lunch-time lecture she has shared her life with the global icon and believes his principles are also good business ethics.

Some of the principles are:

  • The better thing to do is the right thing to do.
  • If you are late, you are disrespecting other people. ‘What makes your time more precious than mine?’
  • The way you approach people determines the way they will treat you.

She said Mr Mandela was like a grandfather to her. “He can probably do without me, but I cannot do without him.”

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