List of South African composers
Encyclopedia
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- Michael BlakeMichael Blake (composer)Michael Blake is a South African contemporary classical music composer.The composer studied at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and lectured at Goldsmiths College, University of London...
(born 1951), Classical MusicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - Jürgen BräuningerJürgen BräuningerProfessor Jürgen Bräuninger is a South African composer.Jürgen Bräuninger studied at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart with Ulrich Süsse and Erhard Karkoschka and at San Jose State University, California, with Allen Strange and Dan Wyman. He has contributed to films such...
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- Mira CalixMira CalixMira Calix, real name Chantal Passamonte, is an artist signed to Warp Records, specialising in mixing her intimate vocals with jittering beats and experimental electronic textures...
, Experimental composer - Hannes CoetzeeHannes CoetzeeHannes Coetzee is a guitarist from the Karoo region in South Africa. Born in 1944, he is mainly known for his unique playing technique using a spoon in his mouth to play slide guitar...
(born 1944), Guitarist and composer - Andrew CruickshankAndrew CruickshankAndrew John Maxton Cruickshank was a Scottish supporting actor, most famous for his portrayal of Dr Cameron in the long-running UK BBC television series, Dr Finlay's Casebook, which ran for 191 episodes from 1962 until 1971.-Life and career:Andrew Cruickshank was born to Andrew and Mary...
(born 1973)
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- Dawid EngelaDawid EngelaDawid Sofius Engela was a South African broadcaster, composer and musicologist.-Early life:He was born in Florida, a suburb to the west of Johannesburg, Transvaal . He was the only child of David Jakobus Engela and Sophia Hendrina Fredrika Engela...
(1931–1967), Modern Lieder and Choral composer - Cromwell EversonCromwell EversonCromwell Everson was primarily known as a composer during his lifetime. He was brought up as an Afrikaner by his mother, Maria De Wit and father, Robert Everson. He continued this tradition and all his children were brought up as Afrikaners....
(1925–1991), Classical MusicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, Modern Lieder and OperaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
composer. He wrote the first AfrikaansAfrikaansAfrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
OperaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance... - David EarlDavid EarlDavid Earl is a South African composer and pianist. He was educated at Rondebosch Boys' High School. He made his professional debut at the age of sixteen when he broadcast Bach, Chopin and Chabrier on the SABC. In 1968, he performed Felix Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No 1 with the Cape Town...
(born 1951), Concert pianist and Classical MusicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer
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- Hendrik HofmeyrHendrik HofmeyrHendrik Pienaar Hofmeyr is among the younger generation of South African composers. Born in Cape Town, he furthered his studies in Italy during 10 years of self-imposed exile as a conscientious objector. While there, he won the South African Opera Competition with The Fall of the House of Usher...
(born 1957), Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - David HönigsbergDavid HönigsbergDavid Hönigsberg was a South African classical composer, conductor and musicologist.Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he lived in Switzerland since 1993 until his death.At the age of 45, he died in Aarau....
(1959–2005), Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - Paul HepkerPaul HepkerPaul Hepker - South African composer, musical director, pianist, best known for composing the score for the film Tsotsi, which won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards in 2005...
- Paul HanmerPaul HanmerPaul Hanmer is a South African composer, pianist and one of its foremost jazz musicians.In 1987 Hanmer moved to Johannesburg where he formed Unofficial Language with drummer Ian Herman and bassist Pete Sklair...
- Hans Huyssen
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- John JoubertJohn Joubert (composer)John Joubert is a British composer of South African descent, particularly of choral works. He has lived in Moseley, a suburb of Birmingham, England, for over 40 years. A music academic at the universities of Hull and Birmingham for 36 years, Joubert took early retirement in 1986 to concentrate on...
(born 1927), Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - Barry Jordan (born 1957), Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer
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- David KramerDavid KramerDavid Kramer is a South African singer, songwriter, playwright and director, most notable for his musicals about the Cape Coloured communities, and for his early opposition to apartheid.-Early life:...
(born 1951), composer, singer, songwriter, playwright and director - Mark KilianMark KilianBorn and raised in South Africa, Mark came to the USA to pursue a career in film scoring in 1994. His academic life in his native country and very active performing career prepared him for his enrollment into USC’s Film Scoring program...
- Peter Klatzow
- Mokale Koapeng
- James Khumalo
- Avril Kinsey (born 1955), classical guitarist and composer
- David Kosviner (born 1957), Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer
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- Solomon LindaSolomon LindaSolomon Popoli Linda , also known as Solomon Ntsele , was a South African Zulu musician, singer and composer who wrote the song "Mbube" which later became the popular music success "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", and gave its name to the Mbube style of isicathamiya a cappella popularized later by...
(1909–1962), Zulu musician, singer and composer - Christopher Lambrecht
- Clare Loveday
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- Stephanus Le Roux MaraisStephanus Le Roux MaraisStephanus Le Roux Marais was a South African composer....
- Todd MatshikizaTodd MatshikizaTodd Tozama Matshikiza was a South African jazz pianist, composer and journalist.-Overview:Matshikiza came from a musical family. He graduated from St Peter's College in Rosettenville, Johannesburg and went on to obtain a diploma in music and a teaching diploma. He then taught English and...
(1921–1968), jazz pianist, composer and journalist - Lebo Morake (born 1964), Movie SoundtrackSoundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
composer - Vusi MahlaselaVusi MahlaselaVusi Sidney Mahlasela Ka Zwane is a Sotho South African singer-songwriter.His music is generally described as "African folk". His work was an inspiration to many in the anti-apartheid movement. His themes include the struggle for freedom, and forgiveness and reconciliation with enemies...
- Carlo Mombelli
- Paul Loeb van Zuilenburg Composer, condutor, educator
- Mohau Mogale (born 1981) Choral Composer, Pianist, Conductor
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- Trevor RabinTrevor RabinTrevor Charles Rabin is a South African born musician, best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British progressive rock band Yes from 1983–1994, and since then, as a film composer.- Early years :...
(born 1954), contemporary Movie SoundtrackSoundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
composer - Thomas RajnaThomas RajnaThomas Rajna is a Hungarian-born composer and pianist, domiciled in Cape Town in South Africa since 1970. He started to play the piano and compose at an early age and studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music where he won the Liszt Prize in 1947. That year he left Hungary to settle in London...
(born 1928), Modern Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - Priaulx RainierPriaulx RainierIvy Priaulx Rainier was a South African-British composer. Although she lived most of her life in England and died in France, her compositional style was strongly influenced by the African music remembered from her childhood. She never adopted 12-tone or serial techniques, but her music shows a...
(1903–1986) - Michael Rosenzweig (composer)Michael Rosenzweig (composer)Michael Rosenzweig, born 1951 in Oranjezicht , a district of Cape Town, is a South African composer, conductor and jazz musician.-Education:...
(born 1951), Modern Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - Surendran ReddySurendran ReddySurendran Reddy was a South African composer and pianist.After his studies at the Royal College of Music and King's College in London he had a highly successful international career as a classical and jazz pianist...
(1962–2010 ), clazz composer
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- Warrick SonyWarrick SonyWarrick Sony is a South African composer, producer, sonic artist, performer and sound designer, who has worked for two decades on a multitude of films, documentaries, art events, theatre, dance, and project albums...
(born 1958), Musician, record producer, composer, remixer - Joseph ShabalalaJoseph ShabalalaJoseph Shabalala , born Bhekizizwe Joseph Siphatimandla Mxoveni Mshengu Bigboy Shabalala, is the founder and musical director of the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.-Early life and career:...
(born 1941), composer and founder of Ladysmith Black MambazoLadysmith Black MambazoLadysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards... - Enoch SontongaEnoch SontongaEnoch Mankayi Sontonga was the composer of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika , which has been part of the South African national anthem since 1994. It was also the official African National Congress anthem since 1925 and is still the national anthem of Tanzania and Zambia...
(1873–1905), composer of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrikaNkosi Sikelel' iAfrika"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" , was originally composed as a hymn by a Methodist mission school in Johannesburg teacher, Enoch Sontonga in 1897, to the tune 'Aberystwyth' by Joseph Parry...
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- Hannes TaljaardHannes TaljaardHannes Taljaard is a South African classical music composer.Taljaard's compositions have been performed in South Africa and Europe and he won first prize in the Flores Iuventutis competition in Ghent, Belgium in 1994/95...
(born 1971), Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - Xolani B. Tembu (born 1983), Choral Composer and Pianist
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- Niel van der WattNiel van der WattNiel van der Watt is a South African composer. Well known for his choral compositions, he has also established himself as a leading composer of chamber music.-Education:...
(born 1962), Modern Choral and Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - Phillip Vietri (born 1955), Liturgical composer-priest and Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - Kevin VolansKevin VolansKevin Volans is a composer associated with the post-minimalist movement in contemporary composition. He was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on July 6, 1949, and even though he has spent most of his life outside his native country, is the best known South African composer active today.In...
(born 1949), composer with the post-minimalist movement - Dimitri VoudourisDimitri VoudourisDimitri Voudouris [Δημητριος Βουδουρης] - [born 1961 in Athens, Greece] an electroacoustic composer and pharmacist living in South Africa who pioneered UNYAZI, the first electronic music festival and symposium on the African continent in 2005 that took place at University of the Witwatersrand, in...
(born 1961), Electroacoustic new music composer - Arnold van WykArnold van WykArnoldus Christiaan Vlok van Wyk was a South African art music composer, one of the first notable generation of such composers along with Hubert du Plessis and Stefans Grové.-Early Life:...
(1916–1983) - Peter Louis van Dijk
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- Martin Watt, Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer - Shane Woodborne, Classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer and 'cellist
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- Jeanne Zaidel-RudolphJeanne Zaidel-RudolphJeanne Zaidel-Rudolph is a South African composer, pianist and teacher. She was the first woman in South Africa to obtain a doctorate in composition.-Education:...
(born 1948), composer, pianist and teacher