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16 February 2023 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Anja Aucamp
Samson Diamond, Jeanne-Louise Moolman, Prof Anmari van der Westhuizen-Joubert, and Sharon de Kock with the QoP instruments created by luthier Brian Lisus to honour SA’s Nobel peace laureates.

Hope, the viola; Freedom, the first violin; Peace, the second violin; and Reconciliation, the cello, collectively known as the Quartet of Peace (QoP), have found their home at the UFS. The Odeion String Quartet (OSQ) has been made the custodians of this world-famous quartet created by Brian Lisus. The instruments were created by Lisus in 2010 to commemorate the four Nobel peace laureates of South Africa, namely Albert Luthuli, Nelson Mandela, FW de Klerk, and Desmond Tutu. In March 2022, Lisus presented a lecture in the Odeion Theatre to officially present these instruments to the UFS.

Many new performing opportunities 

“The trustees found that justice will be done by making the Odeion String Quartet the new custodians, since they are the only quartet-in-residence at a South African university,” says Prof Anmari van der Westhuizen-Joubert, cellist and Head of the OSQ.

As the custodians of the QoP, it brought many new performing opportunities, both nationally and internationally. “It can also be used in presentations of lectures on all subjects and not only of a political nature. In this way, string quartet music reaches more people than just those who go to concert halls,” Prof Van der Westhuizen-Joubert says. The OSQ consists of Prof Van der Westhuizen-Joubert (cellist), Samson Diamond (violinist and leader of the string quartet), Sharon de Kock (violinist), and Jeanne-Louise Moolman (violinist).

Unique part of UFS identity

The uniqueness of the QoP instruments will be an important element of the OSQ, the Odeion School of Music, the Faculty of the Humanities, as well as the entire UFS community. “One of the plans is to raise money to enable students to come and study with the Odeion String Quartet members at the UFS,” Prof Van der Westhuizen-Joubert says. Another historic moment with these instruments took place in October 2022, when the instruments took centre stage at a concert hosted by Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. At this event, the QoP instruments were introduced to the public, important stakeholders, and to guests of the UFS. Other plans include trips to international festivals such as the Ojai Music Festival in the USA in 2023 and the String Quartet Biennale in Amsterdam in 2024.

*This article  first appeared in the Bult Magazine.

News Archive

Perseverance is key for 2017 Abe Bailey recipient
2017-08-23

 Description: Gosego Moroka Tags: Abe Bailey Travel Bursary, Gosego Moroka, 2017 Abe Bailey, Goodenough College 

Gosego Moroka, recipient of the 2017 Abe Bailey Travel Bursary,
says his never-say-die attitude is what helped him win the bursary
the second time round.
Photo: Rulanzen Martin


A valuable life lesson can be learned from Gosego Moroka. The fourth-year LLB student was in the top three for the 2016 Abe Bailey Travel Bursary which was awarded to Candice Thickeson. And now in 2017 Moroka is the recipient.

“It means the world to me as it shows that perseverance is the key. I took last year’s loss as a lesson which I would use to improve as a candidate this year and I’m ecstatic that it came full circle.”

Bursary aims to broaden views

The educational tour will start on 21 November 2017. “We will be travelling to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and then to London, Oxford and Cambridge universities in England, as well as Edinburgh University in Scotland,” Moroka says. The tour group will be hosted by Goodenough College in England. The bursary aims to broaden the views of young South Africans by providing outstanding students the opportunity to engage with students from other universities. 

Comprehensive application process
The application process starts with a motivation letter by the applicants stating the reason for applying. They must then submit letters detailing their leadership roles in the community, school, and at university. This is followed by an interview process. “The university will recommend three persons as possible bursars,” Moroka says. The Abe Bailey Trust will then, with the recommendation of the university, make its own decision in selecting the successful candidate. 

Great achievement adds to repertoire 
“This achievement was extremely important to me as it is testament that greatness is something one works towards.” Moroka is a former 100m South African champion and is part of the Golden Key International Honour Society. And now he is an Abe Bailey Bursar.  

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