As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations this year, the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (SICMF) launched a unique scholarship programme that gives 10 young South African musicians an international experience of the music industry.
The 10x10 scholarships are awarded to 10 SICMF student participants. It allows them to spend 10 days with one of the esteemed overseas musicians who were faculty members at this year's festival.
The SICMF was held at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Konservatorium from Friday 5 July until Sunday 14 July and the festival management announced the names of the 10 bursary winners this week. Each bursary is worth R30 000 and includes return flights and accommodation.
The scholarship programme creates a big opportunity for young South African musicians to experience first-hand how the international classical music industry works.
"It is a reality that South African music students who will eventually embark on an international performing career will need to study abroad and these scholarships will provide them with a stepping stone onto the international music scene," says Peter Martens, Festival Director.
The following students received bursaries:
- Violinist Odile Lesch (photo, left), a MMus student at SU, will spend 10 days in Austria with violinist Frank Stadler at the Mozarteum Orchester.
- Myles Roberts (photo, right) (flute), a third-year BMus student at SU, will accompany American flutist Demarre McGill at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
- Rebecca Brouckaert (photo, middle), a clarinet student who also studies at SU, will spend 10 days with Austrian Ferdinand Steiner, a member of the Mozarteum Orchester in Salzburg, Austria.
- A former SU music student Brandon Ruiters, who is currently a trumpet player in the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchester, will hone his skills with Billy Ray Hunter, principal trumpeter at the esteemed Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York, USA.
- Ryan Kierman, a trombonist who studies at the University of Cape Town, will also go to New York to work with Weston Sprott, trombonist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
- Richard Rheeder, a pianist from Bloemfontein, leaves on 1 August for the Perugia Festival to spend 10 days with Italian-American pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi.
- Chad Hendricks of Cape Town, a member of the Cape Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, will spend his 10 days as a conducting student of Russian conductor Daniel Raiskin.
- Abel Salaocoe (cello) will go to Graz and Berlin for 10 days with German cellist Julian Arp. Salaocoe hails from Johannesburg and studies in Manchester, England.
- The double bass player Emma Ferrett of Cape Town will study with Jeff Bradetich at the University of North Texas.
- Jaco van Staden (French horn), a MMus student at the University of Pretoria, will spend 10 days in Portugal with Abel Pereira and with the Porto Symphony Orchestra.
