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22 September 2021 | Story Michelle Nöthling | Photo Supplied
Annemarie Le Roux.

“I love working with children.” This is one of the first things Annemarie le Roux mentions when asked to describe herself. This love for children propelled Annemarie into the field of education and she graduated in 2006 with a BEd in Foundation Phase at the UFS. Annemarie immediately immersed herself in the Deaf community, enriching the lives of children at the Thiboloha School for the Deaf in Qwaqwa and the De la Bat School for the Deaf in Worcester. 

The academic world enticed Annemarie back to the University of the Free State (UFS) and she was appointed as a junior lecturer in the Department of South African Sign Language (SASL) and Deaf Studies in 2013. Going from strength to strength, Annemarie completed her master’s degree in SASL in 2019, and published an article earlier this year that she co-wrote with Marga Stander. In this article, they found that SASL “has become an increasingly popular language that hearing university students want to learn as a second language” and subsequently explored different teaching methods used for this emerging group of interested students. 

Although now firmly established in academia, Annemarie is still committed to the practical application of SASL. “I am closely involved in student and community engagement through the SIGNALS Sign Language student association that helps empower the Deaf community and South African Sign Language.” She also interprets for the Deaf community whenever she gets an opportunity, as well as for Deaf students in class and meetings.

On the importance of Sign Language and the recognition of the Deaf community in South Africa, Annemarie believes it will open greater opportunities for development. “More people will be able to learn SASL, and it might even become a subject in school for hearing children.”

News Archive

UFS hosts tenth SASRIM conference filled with highlights
2016-08-23

Description: SASRIM conference book Tags: SASRIM conference book

A new OSM book entitled Musics of the Free State:
Reflections on a Musical Past, Present and Future
will be launched on 25 August 2016 as part of the
South African Society for Research in Music’s
conference, hosted by the UFS.

Photo: Supplied

Bridging the gap between music thinking and music making. This is one of many aims of the South African Society for Research in Music (SASRIM), whose 2016 annual conference will be hosted by the Odeion School of Music (OSM) at the University of the Free State (UFS). It marks the tenth anniversary of SASRIM and the congress, from 25 to 27 August 2016, features many highlights. This includes the Arnold van Wyk Centenary Gala Concert and the launch of the OSM book Musics of the Free State: Reflections on a Musical Past, Present and Future. Keynote speakers will be Stephanus Muller from Stellenbosch University and Guthrie Ramsey from the University of Pennsylvania.

Society encourages multiple facets of music research
Research forms a crucial part of music and therefore SASRIM looks at perspectives on thinking and performing the boundary between music thinking and music making. The society also encourages the submission of a wide variety of proposals, including those exploring alternative formats, multiple facets of music research and practice on the African continent, and disciplinary intersections. Contributions that reflect on the first decade of the society’s existence or any aspect related to Van Wyk are especially welcome.

New OSM book receives sterling international review

Musics of the Free State is a nuanced and
richly endowed study of musical practices in
South Africa, which deserves the international
dissemination it will now receive”.

“It will deeply repay close reading far beyond Bloemfontein.” That was some of the praise that Musics of the Free State received from Prof Harry White from the University of Dublin in the International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music 47 (1). According to him the book, edited by Prof Martina Viljoen from the OSM, “is a nuanced and richly endowed study of musical practices in South Africa, which deserves the international dissemination it will now receive”.
The book will be launched on 25 August 2016 in the Odeion foyer after the Arnold van Wyk Centenary Gala Concert.

Gala concert commemorate celebrated SA composer
The gala concert on 25 August 2016 at 18:00 will be recited by OSM staff members and the OSM Camerata in the Odeion Auditorium. The programme for a special concert, presented in collaboration with Fine Music, has been curated to celebrate the centenary of the birth of South African composer, Arnold van Wyk. Tickets are available at Computicket or at the door.

The concert, which will also serve as the annual OSM Dean’s concert, will be broadcasted live by Fine Music Radio.

See the following links:

More information about SASRIM 2016.
To listen to the broadcast of the Arnold van Wyk Centenary Gala Concert (then click the button to listen live).
A complete review by Prof White on Musics of the Free State will be available soon.
Copies of Musics of the Free State can be purchased from the OSM at OSM@ufs.ac.za.

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