Hubert van der Spuy was born in George, grew up and matriculated in Uniondale. He received his music education at the Universities of Stellenbosch and Port Elizabeth and the Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. The guidance and instruction he received from Betsie Cluver (piano), Chris Swanepoel (organ) and Isolde Ahlgrimm (harpsichord) were major factors in his development as practical musician. Klaus Heimes, Jan Bouws and Reino Ottermann contributed towards his shaping as musicologist. His studies culminated in various licentiates and two doctorates.
Van der Spuy started his career in 1967 as a music lecturer at the Denneoord Training College in Stellenbosch. Between 1970 and 1984 he was attached to the University of Durban-Westville, Durban as lecturer, senior lecturer and eventually Professor and head of the Department of Music. He was Professor of Music of the Department of Music at the University of Western Cape, Cape Town from 1985 to 1990. In 1991 he was appointed as Director (Professional) of the Department of Music at Unisa and in 1993 promoted as Professor from which position he retired in 2007.He was editor of Musicus, the biannual journal of the Unisa Directorate of Music for seventeen years. His association as Unisa music examiner dates from 1973 and he is still a member of their panel of music examiners.
He has had a long acquaintance with the music of the South African born British composer Priaulx Rainier (1903-1986) After her death he was appointed literary trustee for her musical legacy. Through his intervention, most of her music manuscripts found a permanent lodging in the J.W. Jagger Library at the University of Cape Town.
He is an active member of the South African Society of Music Teachers and was elected National President for four terms: in 1982, 1986,1993/4 and 2007/09. In 2003 he was elected honorary member.
Hubert van der Spuy has extensive national experience as an adjudicator of competitions, eisteddfods and music festivals. He served on many selection panels and various committees concerned with music and music education. He is an external examiner for practical and theoretical examinations up to doctoral level at various universities. In 1994 he was a jury member of the 7th Unisa Transnet International Piano Competition and in 1995 a jury member of the Pan African Music Competition held at Unisa. From 1991 to 2007 he has been the Chairperson of the annual Unisa South African and Unisa Overseas Music Scholarship Competitions.
At present he is engaged in research regarding aspects of South African music history.
Bridget Rennie-Salonen
Bridget Rennie-Salonen was the Solo Principal Flute of the former Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra in which capacity she was the recipient of the Ben & Faye Carklin Award for Artistic Excellence. She is a unique and versatile flautist with a rich experience in music performance and education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree and the Post-graduate Diploma (with distinction) from the University of Cape Town, as well as a Performer’s Licentiate from the Royal Schools of Music. She studied with Eva Tamassy, Beat Wenger, and Lucien Grujon, and has had master classes with, amongst others, William Bennett, Susan Milan, Shigenori Kudo, Peter-Lukas Graf, Rafaele Trevisani and Trevor Wye.
As a student at UCT she was placed on the Dean’s Merit List for academic excellence, and while completing the Performance Diploma, was a finalist in the Oude Meester Music Prize competition.
Regarded by her peers as one of South Africa’s finest flautists, Bridget has performed as soloist with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (Capab), the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra, the Cape Town Baroque Ensemble, the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, the Camerata Tinta Barocca, the Cape Philharmonic, the Stellenbosch Camerata and the Eastern Cape Philharmonic. She leads the Cavatina Quartet (Flute and Strings) and performs regularly in Zomari, the Duo with guitarist James Grace.
Bridget, who has extensive teaching experience at all levels, is currently lecturing in Flute at the University of Cape Town as well as teaching privately. She performs extensively as a chamber musician, soloist as well as freelance orchestral principal flautist. As one of South Africa’s leading exponents of the flute, she is frequently invited to act as adjudicator or external examiner. Bridget is married to well-known violinist and specialist flute repairer, Petri Salonen, and they have three children.
No comments:
Post a Comment