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30 September 2021 | Story Marius Coetzee and Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied
From the left: Werner Stolze of Stolze Pianos (sponsor), Karlin Kock (Trio Con Brio), Dr Mageshen Naidoo (adjudicator – UP), Kagiso Ramosa (Trio Con Brio), Renette Bouwer (adjudicator – UJ), Maria Yasbeck (Trio Con Brio), and Prof Wessel van Wyk from UP.

The Trio Con Brio ensemble in the Odeion School of Music (OSM) was crowned winners of the open category during the final round of the national SASMT Ensemble competition, which took place on 22 September 2021.  The Trio Con Brio comprises OSM students Kagiso Ramosa (clarinet), Maria Yasbeck (violin), and Karlin Kock (piano).

OSM lecturers, Drs Danre Strydom, Sharon de Kock, and Anneke Lamont served as instructors and mentors during the preparation phase. “The trio prepared their concert programme with an interesting methodology, by having weekly instruction from all lecturers individually on a rotation basis,” says Marius Coetzee, Artistic Director of the Odeion School of Music Camerata (OSMC). Elsabé Raath serves as the principal instructor. 

The OSMC took second place in the concert programme, while the instructor of the OSM Brass Quintet, George Foster, and the convenor, Quinn Kakora, were also selected to participate in the first round of the competition. Their recital was highly ranked and came third in the first round.

 SASMT competition develops young musicians 

The first SASMT Pretoria Ensemble Competition took place in September 2017. It would be the first competition of this nature to be held in the northern region of South Africa. The goal was to create an opportunity for young musicians to compete in groups, rather than focusing on solo performances. The feedback from the initial competition was overwhelmingly positive, culminating in the decision to make it an annual event.

The competition aims to develop young musicians through collaborative participation and by encouraging the enjoyment of performing with others. Another objective is to foster understanding, love, and appreciation for ensemble music and the performance thereof among young musicians. 

News Archive

New Zealand High Commissioner visits the UFS
2009-11-06

The New Zealand High Commissioner to South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique, Mr. Geoff Randal, recently visited the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Centre for Africa Studies (CAS) and presented a seminar on “New Zealand and Africa: Asymmetry writ large”.

His talk considered relations between New Zealand and Africa, exploring what looks like a massive asymmetry. He concluded that difference wais normal and not in itself a barrier to effective collaboration. In his view, diplomacy is an important tool to obtain balance by continuous adjustment and through dialogue across perceived asymmetry. Through diplomacy as the connector, facilitator and coordinator, perceptions are shaped and can small states can make a stand against the powerful. Attending the seminar were, from the left: Mr. Arthur Johnson, Manager: International Partnerships and Liaison at the UFS); Prof. Heidi Hudson, Programme Director: CAS; Mr Geoff Randal, New Zealand High Commissioner to South Africa – speaker; Ms. Kamo Dipico, Administrative Officer: CAS; Ms Steffi Cawood, Lecturer: CAS, and Ms. Siti Dipico, Research Assistant: CAS.
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

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