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11 May 2023 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Eco-vehicle Race
Join the UFS on 13 May 2023 at 09:00 (student performances at 09:00 and race at 10:15) on the road around the UFS Odeion School of Music for the annual Kovsie ACT Eco-Vehicle Race. Don't miss out on this incredible display of endurance; support your favourite team to victory!

Kovsie ACT at the University of the Free State (UFS) is presenting the sixth Kovsie Eco-Vehicle Race this year.

Come and show your support for our students who will be representing our colleges and three campuses, along with the Central University of Technology. Be a part of the action:

Date: Saturday 13 May 2023
Time: 09:00 Performances by student artists
Time: 10:15 Official start of Eco-Vehicle Race
Venue: UFS Odeion School of Music parking area

The Eco-Vehicle Race represents the last phase of a nine-month co-curricular skills programme, providing our students with a set of skills that prepare them for the world of work. 

In this programme where students are equipped with basic knowledge and skills on sustainable energy, they get the opportunity not only to race the eco-vehicles, but to also understand the workings of the vehicle, which is critical for repairs done by the team during the race. 

Our students will be competing in three events:

  • Obstacle course: Teams will be challenged by obstacles to test their control over the car.
  • Smart lap: A timed lap in which the drivers take the main track for the first time.
  • Endurance race: The teams need to finish as many laps as possible using the least amount of energy in 45 minutes. 
The winners of the three events will each receive a trophy. There will be a trophy for the best pit stop as well as a spirit cup for the team with the best energy and support from the audience.

Come and support our students as they showcase their ingenuity and endurance. Don't miss out on the action! For more information, click here to contact Jady Carelse.

Car manufacturers will also exhibit hybrid/electric vehicles; come and view the exhibition and learn more about how these cars work and their benefits.

News Archive

Pianoboost a hit on Google Play Store
2017-03-01

Description: Pianoboost Tags: Pianoboost

Pianoboost is an interactive app developed by
Dr Frelet de Villiers, lecturer in the Odeion School of Music
at the University of the Free State.
Photo: Supplied

“I got the idea after watching my children play Sing Star on PlayStation, where the game can detect how accurately you sing. I realised this could turn my dream into a reality if I looking into the possibility of an app that can do note recognising,” says Dr Frelet de Villiers, developer of the Pianoboost app, about her brainchild.

Dr De Villiers, lecturer in the Odeion School of Music (OSM) at the University of the Free State (UFS), developed this interactive app for piano learners to learn music. She started the developing process three years ago, but the project only got momentum when she  approached LivX, a digital developing company in Pretoria, six months ago.

Useful for other instruments
Pianoboost has been live since 9 February 2017 and already received positive reviews, with a five-star rating on the Google Play Store. “In my experience as piano teacher, I know that learners struggle to learn their notes. They can’t recognise the note on the music sheet and therefore cannot play it on the piano,” says Dr De Villiers. Although this app is developed for piano, it is also successfully used for other instruments like the marimba, violin, and guitar, because it can pick up sounds from almost any instrument.

Ideal for use in academic programme
There are students in the certificate and diploma modules at the OSM who haven’t received any formal music training. Therefore, the app is ideal for them to use. “We have instrument-specific methodology in our degree courses. So, those students could also be exposed to the app for use in their own teaching of young learners,” says Dr De Villiers.

Different features sets app apart
The app, available on Android devices, has instant music recognition and impressive features that already sets it apart from existing learning apps. It is used on a real acoustical piano (you do not need to plug the tablet into a keyboard), has instant note recognition, shows the correct position of the note on the piano when you are wrong, and works like a flash card system, to name a few. “By using the app, you also learn the names of notes whether you played it right or wrong,” says Dr De Villiers.

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