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Odeion to host international artists at Clarinet Extravaganza

03 January 2020 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied

Bence read more — Bence Szepesi will be one of the main attractions at the Clarinet Extravaganza

Some of the biggest names in classical music will be part of the second International Clarinet Extravaganza to be hosted by the Odeion School of Music (OSM) from 28 January 2020 until 1 February 2020. The 2020 festival hopes to build on the success of the inaugural festival held in 2016.

Some of the artists will include Eddy Vanoosthuyse and Severine Sierens from Belgium, Marco Mazzini from Peru, Feng Mei from the USA, and Bence Szepesi from Hungary.

“The objective of the festival is to expose South African clarinettists (of all ages and levels) and educators to current international clarinet trends, excellent artistry, and the opportunity to receive masterclasses from top clarinet pedagogues,” says Dr Danré Strydom, OSM lecturer and convener of the festival.

The festival will consist of various concerts, clarinet workshops, composition competitions for high-school learners and university students, individual and group masterclasses, and an evening concert with the Free State Symphony Orchestra. There is also a special prize to be won by the top participant. The winner will receive a full scholarship to attend the 2020 Clarinets on stage Academy in Belgium.

News Archive

UFS receives R3,284 million to research biosafety of genetically modified crops

2009-03-17

A testing facility at the University of the Free State (UFS), which is the only one of its kind in South Africa and a leader in its field in Africa, has received a grant of R3,284 million from the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) to do research on the biosafety of genetically modified crops in South Africa.

Prof. Chris Viljoen of the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Testing Facility at the UFS says the grant forms part of a collaborative agreement between South Africa and Norway on the biosafety of GMOs.

The grant also makes provision for two M.Sc. bursaries as well as a regional biosafety workshop.

The research will focus on gene flow between genetically modified (GM) maize and non-GM maize and the potential impact thereof on the development of insect resistance.

Prof. Viljoen, who is head of Human Molecular Biology in the Department of Haematology and Cell Biology, says it is an honour to be selected to take part in the project and is groundbreaking in terms of GM maize on the environment. The project was initiated in 2009 and will run until the end of 2010.

The multi-institutional research include partners from the UFS, research groups from the University of North-West, the University of Fort Hare as well as SANBI and GenØk, the Norwegian centre for Gene Ecology. The GMO Testing Facility at the UFS was established in 2003 to perform routine GM detection for grain and food products in South Africa. The activities also include research into GM detection and biosafety of GM crops.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
17 March 2009

Prof. Chris Viljoen of the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Testing Facility at the UFS.
Photo: Supplied

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