US Music

jolenemccleland@gmail.com

South African Mezzo Soprano Jolene McCleland, studied music and voice (BMus) (cum laude) at  Stellenbosch University and a post-graduate diploma in opera (completed with distinction) at the Konservatorium der Stadt Wien in Austria. In January 2015 she was appointed as singing lecturer at Stellenbosch University.

Jolene’s European debut was realised with the role of Cain’s Lamb in the European Premiere of Tsippi Fleischer’s Cain and Abel in 2005 in the Semperdepot, Vienna. Since then she has performed many roles including Dorabella in Cosí fan tutte, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Second Lady in The Magic Flute (Japan Tour), Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring, Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Hansel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. Jolene is also becoming a specialist in the Modern Opera field, having performed Die Spinne in Max Nagl’s world premiere of the opera Camilo Chamäleon and a soloist in Titus Hollweg’s interpretation of Milhaud’s Opéras-Minutes at the Carinthian Music Festival (Austria) in 2011. In the same year she recorded with the great contemporary American Composer, Nancy van de Vate, performing the role of Queen Gertrude in the opera Hamlet with the Moravian Philharmonic.

An acclaimed Lied interpreter, recently she performed a Liederabend together with the Schubertbund Choir in the Golden Hall of the Music Society,Vienna. Since 2012, she regularly tours as soloist with the Johann Strauss Ensemble, performing in Austria, Turkey, Croatia and Algeria.

In the field of oratorio, McCleland is a sought-out alto soloist, performing regularly in the big cathedrals of Vienna, Austria. In December 2013 she had the honour of performing the alto solo in Handel’s Messiah with the Slovenian Radio Orchestra in the Cankarjev Dom in Ljublana.

In Oktober 2014 she performed the role of Elektra in the Austrian Debut of Michael Trojahn’s proclaimed opera Orest at the Museumsquartier in Vienna
In 2015 she was invited to perform Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Brandon Phillips and the Orchestra and Choir of the New Apostolic Church. She sang three world premieres at the Komposimposium, works composed by Antoni Schonken, Keith Moss and Hans Roosenschoon. Her show Mood Swings – roles of a Mezzo debuted at the Endler Hall. She also performed with Niel Rademann and Paul Loeb van Zuilenburg and the Stellenbosch City Orchestra at Lourensford Wine Estate. In 2016 she shares the stage with them once more, this time at the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre, while her show, A Viennese Affair, with Wilken Calitz and Elna van der Merwe, was performed at the Stellenbosch University’s Woordfees.

aehuyssen@sun.ac.za

pearce@sun.ac.za

Minette began her vocal training in 1993 under the tutelage of Magdalena Oosthuizen. She received the degrees BMus, BMus (Hons) and MMus (Cum Laude) specialising in singing. She completed the University of South Africa (UNISA) Teachers and Performance Licentiates (both Cum Laude) and received the DJ Roode Overseas Scholarship, the Gertrude Buchanan and SAMRO prize during the UNISA bursary competitions. She was the overall winner of the ATKV Musiq competition as well as winner of the singing category and the Mozart prize. She was named first runner up in the SAMRO International Scholarship competition and also won the prize for best performance of a prescribed work. In 2009 she was a finalist in the Kohn Foundation Wigmore Hall International Song Competition in London. In 2010 she was also a finalist in the American Institute of Musical Studies’ (AIMS) Meistersinger Competition in Graz.

She attended several summer schools such as Ticino Musica in Lugano and AIMS in Graz, receiving lessons from Barbara Bonney, Michelle Crider and Michelle Breedt.

She regularly performs as a soloist in Oratorio and her repertoire includes Händel’s Messiah, the St Matthew’s Passion, St John’s Passion and B minor Mass by Bach, Stabat Mater by Pergolesi, Stabat Mater by Karl Jenkins and Mozart’s Requiem to name a few. Minette is an accomplished singer of lieder both locally and abroad and regularly performs at The Songmakers’ Guild in Cape Town. In 2017 she was nominated for a WoordTROfee for her performance of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. She has performed with all major orchestras in South Africa, most notably the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra.

Minette has performed at several National Arts Festivals in South Africa including the KKNK, Klein Karoo Klassique, AARDKLOP, Woordfees, Cultivaria, Suidooster Fees, Hermanus FynArts and Greyton Classics for All Festival. She has been nominated for three Kyknet Fiësta awards for her contribution to classical music at an arts festival. In 2015 she travelled to France and sang several concerts with the South African pianist Ilse Schumann and baritone Niël Rademan.

Minette regularly adjudicates at Eisteddfods and often travels outside of South Africa to Namibia and Zimbabwe to teach and perform. Since 2016 she has travelled to Maputo, Mozambique to perform at the Xiquitsi Mùsica Clàssica festival, where she also presented master classes. She is the head of the Singing Division at Stellenbosch University and fills the position of Senior Lecturer in Singing. She runs a very successful series of workshops “Working with Young Voices” and regularly presents these to teachers and singers. Minette made her American debut when she performed as soloist in Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony with the Minnesota Orchestra in Minneapolis in July. She also accompanied the orchestra on their South African tour as part of their Mandela 100 celebrations.

roxanesteffen@gmail.com

Roxane Steffen started her musical education at the age of 6 with violin at the Music School of Delft, The Netherlands. At the age of 8 she started cello lessons and changed to double bass when she was 16. After finishing her studies for Performance Diploma at The Royal Conservatory in The Hague she got her first contract for TuK Double Bass with The Netherlands Ballet Orchestra in Amsterdam and filled the position of Sub-Principal with Holland Symfonia from 2002-2006. In 2004 Roxane took a sabbatical to come to Cape Town for one year to fill the position of Sub-Principal Double Bass in The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO). In January 2006 she resigned her job in The Netherlands to return to Cape Town to fill the position of Principal Double Bass with the CPO and has not left Cape Town since. Roxane is currently lecturing at the South African College of Music (University of Cape Town), the Stellenbosch University and is a guest lecturer at the Xiquitsi Project in Maputo, Mozambique and works closely with The Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Next to her job at the CPO, teaching and other chamber music projects she plays concerts promo4ng the solo double bass and played Allan Stephenson’s Burlesque for Double Bass and small orchestra with the CPO in October 2021 at their symphony season. Roxane is also a qualified Personal Trainer and Yoga instructor and uses both disciplines in her lessons. During 2020, the year of lock down, Roxane has developed a passion for video editing which resulted in making various videos for the CPO and starting the YouTube channel ‘Cape Town MotoLife’ where Roxane combines her love for riding motorbikes with creating videos. 

ingepwh@gmail.com

Inge Wessels began her harp studies with Cathleen Alistair and continued at the Johannesburg Art, Ballet, Drama and Music School with Hester Krausey. She obtained her B.Mus. (cum laude) and B.Mus. Hon. degrees at the University of Stellenbosch under Jane Theron, where she was awarded the Conservatoire Stipendium. Inge furthered her studies with Marielle Nordmann and Joanna Kozielska in Paris, France.

Harp lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch since 2010, Inge performs as a chamber musician and has played in various orchestras, including the University of Stellenbosch and Cape Philharmonic Orchestras. She has taken part in international harp festivals in Wales (The World Harp Festival in Cardiff) and Japan (as a member of a 40+ Harp Ensemble Festival under the late Dr. Mimura in Hakone and Tokyo). Inge has also attended master classes with harpists Isabelle Perrin (France), Mario Falcao (USA), Sebastian Lipmann (Australia), David Watkins (UK) and Marielle Nordmann (at the Academie Internationale d’Ete de Nice, France).

emilederoubaix@gmail.com

Emile de Roubaix started his initial violin training at the age of 10 with Madelein van Rooyen at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre, and later completed the BMus and BMus.Hons degrees (cum laude) in violin performance at the University of Stellenbosch, receiving tuition from Louis van der Watt and Suzanne Martens respectively.  In 2003 he was violinist of Trio Stellenbosch, who represented Stellenbosch University at the 30th International Week of the Universität für Darstellende Kunst und Musik in Graz, Austria.

In 2005 – 2007 Emile completed his MMus in viola performance (cum laude) with Predrag Katanic at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK.  He was awarded the RNCM Thomas Barratt viola prize, and was violist for the groups that received the 2006 & 2007 Granada Prize for mixed chamber music ensembles.
Subsequently he freelanced with various professional orchestras such as the Hallé, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, The English Concert, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and Glyndebourne Touring Opera.
He also worked extensively in Norway, with Bodø Sinfonietta, Tromsø Chamber Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, and toured Northern Norway with the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra.

Emile has been part of the viola faculty for the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival from 2012 – 2015.  He teaches part-time and freelances professionally in and around Cape Town, where he is currently based.

Louis van der Watt was appointed at the University of Stellenbosch in 2000 and is currently senior lecturer in violin and viola and head of the strings department. He started his violin tuition at the age of 10 with Jack de Wet and has played in orchestras from a young age. He obtained the BA and BA Hons (Philosophy) degrees at the University of the Free State, both cum laude. During his student years at UFS he was member of the Free State Symphony Orchestra, member and chairperson of the university choir, as well as member of the Students’ Representative Council. He received the Dux Award for highest academic achievement at the university in his honours year.

Louis continued his studies at the University of Stellenbosch, receiving both his BTh degree and Licentiate in Theology cum laude. He furthered his violin studies under Eric Rycroft and passed the UNISA Teacher’s Licentiate and the Royal Schools Performer’s and Teacher’s Licentiates, with distinction. He also passed the UNISA final examination in organ, with distinction. During this time he was member of the US String Ensemble (USSE) and concertmaster of the US Symphony Orchestra (USSO), and performed as soloist with these orchestras. At the same time, he was Vice-chairperson of the university choir, Warden of Majuba Men’s Residence and member of the Theological Students’ Representative Council.

From 1971-1984 he was member of the SA National Youth Symphony Orchestra, followed by a permanent position in the then CAPAB Orchestra. He was an extra player for the Cape Town and NAPAC Symphony Orchestras as well as concertmaster of the Cape Town Chamber Orchestra. He was also member of the Libertas Choir.

Louis was head of the strings department at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre from 1986-1998, during which his pupils won all the major competitions in South Africa. He established the Hugo Lambrechts Strings Orchestra, achieving great results at eisteddfodau and even joining the Libertas Choir in six performances of Handel’s Messiah when the average age of the orchestra members was 13 years. He obtained the degrees BMus at UNISA and BMus (Hons) (cum laude) at Stellenbosch University during this period.

From 1996 to 2018 he was the conductor of Canticum Novum Choir, which was invited to take part in a performance of the Mozart Coronation Mass in Carnegie Hall, New York, in April 2015. He is guest conductor of the USSO and was guest conductor of the string orchestra at the annual South African Youth Orchestra Course for many years. Louis is a former conductor of the Tygerberg Civic Choir and has acted as conductor for Schola Cantorum, the academic choir of the US Music Department.

Thanks to his interest in church music – he has been full-time church organist since 1981 – he completed his MMus in Church Music (cum laude) at the University of Stellenbosch in 2011. He was awarded his PhD from Stellenbosch University in 2020.

Louis performs regularly as member of the US Camerata and also plays the Baroque violin and Baroque viola as member of the US Baroque Ensemble and as ad hoc member of Camerata Tinta Barocca. He is a UNISA examiner (all instruments) and acts as external examiner at numerous universities across South Africa, as well as at the Windhoek Conservatoire. He regularly serves as adjudicator for various eisteddfodau across the country as well as major national music competitions.

wl@sun.ac.za

Lüdemann is an Emeritus Professor of Musicology, former Chair of the Music Department and former Vice-Dean: Arts in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He is a graduate of the University of the Free State and pursued further studies at the University of Hamburg. He served as chair of the Musicological Society of Southern Africa for three consecutive terms (1995 – 2004). In 2003 he was awarded a British Academy Visiting Professorship (Southampton and Cambridge). His research interests include German music between the two world wars, music aesthetics, South African music and music and evolution. He has presented research papers in South Africa, Germany, the UK, Italy and the Netherlands. Publications include numerous research articles in South African and German journals as well as the book Hugo Distler. Eine musikalische Biographie (Augsburg 2002). He was awarded honorary membership of the Musicological Society in 2005. Lüdemann is also active as a composer.

afeder@sun.ac.za

Arthur graduated with a BMus Hons [Composition] cum laude at Stellenbosch University in 2011, and his MMus [Composition] cum laude in 2015, focusing on orchestration techniques for the wind band.

Arthur is very passionate about the promotion of new works by young composers, between 2010-2014, he has been involved in a student initiative Kompos and assisted in the premiering of over 70 orchestral and chamber works. Commissions include arrangements for the Field Band Foundation, the SU Jazz Band, many smaller ensembles, and works for competitions and exams. In 2012, Arthur worked as an orchestrator for the film Die Wonderwerker, and in 2013, he was tasked to compose music for the film Vanity Fair.

Since 2009, Arthur annually received the SAMRO bursary for composition, and in 2014 Arthur received the merit prize in the Western Art Music category of the SAMRO Overseas scholarship. Arthur currently tutors and lectures at the Stellenbosch Konservatorium.

wdbasson@sun.ac.za

Diederick Basson received his first organ lessons from Danie Smit at DF Malan High in Bellville. At the University of Pretoria he studied with Wim Viljoen and Joseph Stanford, and, at Stellenbosch University, with Boudewijn Scholten, Pieter de Lange and Bennie van Eeden. In 1997 he received an NZAV bursary that enabled him to study with the late Ewald Kooiman, Professor of Organ at the Vrije Universiteit (Free University) in Amsterdam, specialising in the interpretation and performance of French and German Baroque organ music.

He obtained the BMus, BMus Honours (cum laude) and MMus degrees at Stellenbosch University and a PhD degree at the North-West University (Potchefstroom campus). He holds UNISA licentiates in Performance, Teaching and Church music (organ) (all obtained cum laude) as well as the AMusTCL and LMusTCL music theory diplomas from Trinity College London.

Diederick is currently the Director of Music at Somerset College in Somerset West, part-time lecturer in Music Theory Teaching Method at Stellenbosch University’s Music Department and Chairman of the Stellenbosch Eisteddfod. In 2013 he co-authored a series of school textbooks published by Oxford University Press. He is a member of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (the South African academy of arts and sciences) and the International Society for Music Education, and the former editor of the journal Vir die Musiekleier (ISSN 1999-3412). In 2019 and 2020 he served on the judging panel of The Global Undergraduate Awards Programme based in Dublin, Ireland. In 2003 he joined Fine Music Radio in Cape Town as a voluntary presenter and currently presents the programme Sunday Concert. He regularly performs as a soloist and accompanist.