Unique Duo Wins ATKV National Classical Music Competition

Last edited: September 10, 2012

Posted by Business and Arts South Africa

During a prestigious event on Saturday 8 September in Stellenbosch, the US Percussion Duo was named overall winner of the national instrumental classical music competition, ATKV- Muziq. ATKV-Muziq, one of the biggest and most prestigious classical music competitions in Southern Africa – with previous winners like international award-winning pianist Ben Schoeman – is the annual contribution of the ATKV towards classical music in South Africa.

This is a national classical music competition for young musicians between the ages of 15 and 27. A total prize money of R106 000 was awarded. Cherilee Adams (23) and Dylan Tabisher (23) started percussion in 2002 under Suzette Brits at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre. Both are currently Masters degree students (performance) at Stellenbosch University with Suzette Brits as their teacher.

Young adult musicians across Southern Africa were invited to participate in the first round in May this year. The different categories are organ, piano, strings, wind instruments (woodwind and brass), chamber music ensembles and other instruments. Thirty seven musicians were selected, but thirty five participated the past few days in the second and third rounds in Stellenbosch. Unfortunately two candidates had to withdraw due to personal reasons.The category winners announced at the end of the second round were:

Each category winner received R 8 000.An additional prize of R5 000 for the best interpretation of a South African composition during the second round was awarded to US Percussion Duo for their rendition of Papilio
by P.L. van Dijk.

Another additional prize of R5 000 for the best interpretation of a Baroque or Classical work during the third round was awarded to organist Hentus van Rooyen for his performance of J.S. Bach's Trio Sonate in G Major (Vivace). The panel of adjudicators was headed by Arisa Voges, Director of the Directorate Music at UNISA. The other adjudicators were Catherine Foxcroft (Rhodes University), Liezl-Maret Jacobs (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Louis van der Watt ( University Stellenbosch) and Brandon Phillips (principal bassoonist of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra).

The Afrikaans national radio station, RSG, was the media partner of the competition this year.