Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Expo promises to keep Bloemfontein healthy and fit

12 February 2020 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Supplied

UFS Health and Wellness Expo Programme

The University of the Free State (UFS) is on a mission to get Bloemfontein fit, in mind, body and soul. The UFS will host its first-ever Health and Wellness Expo on the Bloemfontein Campus from 20-21 February, targeting UFS staff and students as well as the broader Bloemfontein community.

The expo, organised by the Department of Human Resources’ Division for Organisational Development and Employee Wellness, will have four pillars that are underscored by the dimensions of wellness. “These four pillars will be exhibitions, medical screening tests, health talks and exercise sessions,” said Arina Engelbrecht, UFS Employee Wellness Specialist.

Staff, students and visitors will have the opportunity to explore a variety of stalls, learn new approaches of conquering health concerns and enhance their physical fitness and financial wellness, as well as nutrition. This year’s event features highlights such as Buti yoga, which combines jump training (plyometrics), tribal dancing and dynamic yoga asanas. This will be followed by fun, functional training with Ben Zwane, a fitness class suitable for all strength levels ranging from beginners to professional sports people. And if you are interested in a four or eight kilometre run or walk, both options will also be on offer.

Nurturing the Wellness Tree of Bloemfontein

According to Engelbrecht, the goal is to build awareness around the need to live a healthier and a more active life among staff and the broader community. “The expo aims to assist the community in gaining knowledge about various options to lead a healthier life,” she said.

With the theme: Shaping the Wellness Tree of Bloemfontein and granted that the benefits of living a healthier life have been well-researched and documented, the Division hopes the expo will encourage people to lead improved lives that lead to higher levels of engagement and productivity.

For more information contact Arina Engelbrecht at gesal@ufs.ac.za or on +27 83 644 9980.

News Archive

Teaching has always been in opera singer’s genes

2016-12-26

Albertus Engelbrecht believes that his predecessor
and mentor at the Odeion School of Music ,
Peet van Heerden, prepared him wonderfully for his task
as Vocals lecturer.
Photo: Jóhann Thormählen

He has captivated audiences from Berlin to Los Angeles with his singing talent for 17 years. Yet, teaching has always been in his genes, and as a child Albertus Engelbrecht dreamed about teaching music someday.

Once, when the opera singer stood on the Free State flats during his MMus studies at the University of the Free State (UFS), he knew this is where he would come.

He has been employed as Vocals lecturer at the Odeion School of Music (OSM) since 1 July 2016 and is now ploughing back his knowledge for students he believes have an incredible passion for singing that is not found even in European vocalists.

Concerts in Los Angeles stand out
Engelbrecht was a lyrical tenor at the Landestheater Niederbayern in Passau, Germany, and was working with students as well as professional singers (in Nürnberg and later Passau). However, he was bitten by the teaching bug much earlier. “When I was a student at Stellenbosch (where he obtained his BMus degree at Stellenbosch University), I discovered I had a love for vocals training,” he says.

He has performed all over Europe and worked with famous conductors such as Philipp Augin (Los Angeles Opera). “The most impressive performance was the New Year concerts in Los Angeles, and specifically the concert in the Walt Disney Concert Hall, with fantastic architecture by Frank Gehry, and housing approximately 2 260 people.”

“When I was a student at Stellenbosch, I discovered that I had a love for vocals training.”

Big boots to fill at OSM
He achieved his master’s degree magna summa Cum Laude at the UFS and received the Fanie Beetge prize for the best postgraduate student. He studied for his master’s degree under Peet van Heerden, with Dr Matildie Thom Wium as supervisor.

Following Van Heerden’s retirement, Engelbrecht had big boots to fill. “The most important thing that I learnt from him as mentor was that the instrument of a vocalist is also the body and soul of that individual – to be able to see the human standing, singing before me.”

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept