Our Music Centre

Our Vision & Mission

Our Vision

Orchestrating a world-class music centre

Our Mission

The Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre aspires to:

Provide a holistic music education programme.
Nurture the inherent musical abilities of all our learners from diverse communities to achieve their full musical potential.
Create a safe haven for all our learners by cultivating a culture of inclusivity.
Harness music education to precipitate the development of twenty -first century workplace skills such as creativity, collaboration and critical thinking.

Offer learners and educators a platform to participate in music-making at a national and international level.
Create a lifelong enjoyment of music while encouraging the audiences of the future.
Provide dedicated and professional musical leadership to the South African music education environment.
Be a South African home for international teaching artists.

Our Values

Inclusivity

Excellence

Integrity

Respect

Care

Orchestrating Youth

Our Staff

Meet our team of dedicated staff members

Principal

Dr Arisa Voges - Saxophone & Clarinet

Arisa Voges is the principal of the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre. As an active music consultant, examiner and adjudicator she regularly serves on examination, adjudication and advisory panels for national music competitions, universities, and non-profit organisations. She obtained a PhD (Music) from the University of the Free State, an MBA and Hons BMus (Clarinet Performing) from the University of Stellenbosch and has completed the LRSM, UTLM and UPLM in Clarinet Performing/Teaching and LRSM in Saxophone Teaching. She was the recipient of the Fanie Beetge Prize for her PhD research that investigated the financial sustainability of donor-funded community music development programmes in South Africa. In addition, she received the ABRSM Tercentenary Travel Grant Award for Music Teachers in 1997 and the Unisa South African Music Scholarship in 1985. As a clarinet/saxophone teacher she has received numerous awards from the Artscape and SANLAM National Music Competitions, as well as the Unisa Directorate Music for excellence in instrumental tuition. Dr Voges is the former Director: Music of the Unisa Directorate Music in Pretoria.

Strings, Harp & Guitar

Ms Zelda Wepner - Violin & Viola

Zelda Wepner (née Hofstander) graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a BMus (2004) and HonsBA (2005) and also obtained her UTLM (violin) in 2008. She studied violin with Suzanne Martens and piano with Dr Liezl-Maret Jacobs. She gained teaching experience working part-time at the Beau Soleil and Frank Pietersen Music Centres and the Redefine Music Project in Kuilsrivier. Zelda has received merit awards from Unisa for outstanding teaching and has been asked to adjudicate at Eistedfoddau. She has been a committee member of the South African Society for Music Teachers since 2011 – 2018. Zelda was invited to join the board of Unisa examiners in 2016 and is currently an active Unisa examiner. Teaching is her passion and many of her students have pursued a career in music.

Ms Felicia Salies Petersen - Violin & Viola

Felicia Salies-Petersen, an alumnus of the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre received Violin lessons from Mrs Charlene Bogenhagen and was a member of the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre’s Senior String Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. Throughout her school years she participated in various Eisteddfodau, Music competitions and Music festivals. She obtained her Diploma in Practical Music (CUM LAUDE) and Advanced Diploma in Practical Music (CUM LAUDE) from the University of Stellenbosch under the tutelage of Mrs Suzanne Martens. Felicia received masterclasses from Madeleine Adkins (USA), Louise Landsdowne (UK) and Ilya Gringolts (RUSSIA) during her studies and has had the opportunity to perform as orchestra member with Joshua Bell, Pinchas Zuckermann, Daniel Rowland and Priya Mitchell as soloists. Teaching is her passion and she is a firm believer that music has the ability to touch, inspire and connect people.

Ms Lee-Ann Cloete - Violin & Viola

Lee-Ann Cloete completed her undergraduate studies at Stellenbosch University. Thereafter, she completed her Masters in Viola Performance at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in the UK. While at Birmingham Conservatoire, Lee-Ann won the Florian Leonhard Bow Competition. Lee-Ann has received masterclasses from Nobuko Imai, Tatjana Masurenko, Thomas Riebl and Simon Rowland-Jones.

Ms Kaylin Levendal - Violin & Viola

Ms Lynne Donson - Cello

Lynne Donson completed her BMus performance under the tutelage of Marian Lewin in 2016, studying at the University of Cape Town. Lynne was the recipient of a study bursary and accepted as a cadet of Camerata Tinta Barocca in 2015. During her time at UCT, she served as principal cellist of the UCT Symphony Orchestra and co-leader of the Cape Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Lynne has played in various orchestras in Cape Town and Namibia.

Mr Alexander Comninos - Guitar

Mr Michal George - Guitar

After completing the undergraduate classical guitar program at the Wits School of Music, Michal studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music (USA), graduating with top honours in the Master of Music program. Since returning to South Africa in 2004 he has performed, recorded, and worked with students of all levels.

A counterpoint to his passion for music, is his appreciation of the psyche. Michal holds the degree of BA (Hons) in Psychology from UNISA, and has a special interest in the role mindfulness plays in human development.

Michal lives in Blouberg with a cat called Ekajati. He enjoys running in the mountains and cycling along the coast.

Ms Kobie du Plessis - Harp

Image TBC

Woodwinds & Voice

Mr Liam Burden - Saxophone & Clarinet

Saxophonist and conductor Liam Burden is based at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre in Parow, Cape Town, where he teaches saxophone and clarinet and is principal conductor of the Hugo Lambrechts Symphony Orchestra. Liam graduated, cum laude, from the University of Stellenbosch with a specialization in saxophone performance. While an honours student he was afforded the opportunity to do a semester of study at the West Virginia University, USA, under Dr Michael Ibrahim. As a saxophonist, Liam has competed in all the major competitions in South Africa and given numerous performances. Most recently he formed part of the Connections Saxophone Quartet, made up of French and South African saxophonists, and performed to rave reviews in a two-week tour along the southern coast of South Africa. As a conductor Liam has conducted performances with the Hugo Lambrechts Symphony Orchestra at the Greyton/Genadendal Classics for all Festival, the Tulbagh Arts Festival and many concerts in the Hugo Lambrechts auditorium including the annual Hugo Lambrechts Concerto Festival often premiering new South African compositions. Liam was musical director of the musical Brothers which was staged at the HB Thom theatre in Stellenbosch, and the conductor of the first KOMPOS Concert. Further conducting commitments include conducting for the WCED Prestige Concert, which afforded top achieving grade 12 learners the opportunity to perform concerti with a professional orchestra, and conductor for a faculty concert at the 2014 Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival made up of international musicians from South Africa and the USA. Liam is a part-time saxophone lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch.

Ms Jeanie Kelly - Flute

Jeanie started playing the flute at the age of 13. In 2005 she obtains a BMus in flute performance from the University of Stellenbosch, where she studies under Eva Tamassy. In 2006 she studied flute with Liesl Stoltz and obtained a BMusHons in flute performance from the University of Cape Town. She has received master classes from Lady Jeanne Galway, Trevor Wye, Susan Milan, Hansgeorg Schmeiser, Karin Leitner and Alex Klein. She started teaching flute at Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre in 2010. Her students regularly participate in eisteddfodau and competitions such as the Samro Hubert van der Spuy and National Youth Music Competition. Her flute ensemble won the school category of the National Ensemble Competition in 2012.

Ms Charlene Saayman - Clarinet & Saxophone

Charlene Saayman has been acquainted with the Hugo Lambrechts Centre since 1992 as a clarinet student. She completed her BMus degree through Unisa, and also completed UTLM, and UPLM on Clarinet. She has been teaching at the Music Centre in a full-time capacity since 2001. Many of her students have excelled and some follow successful careers in music in South Africa and abroad. She is also the conductor of the Hugo Lambrechts Senior Wind Band. Besides music, her hobbies include running and, most important of all, is a mother of twins, Michael and Chloé.

Ms Andrea van der Speck - Oboe

Ms Caron Tremble - Bassoon

Ms Marcelle Steinmetz - Voice

Brass & Percussion

Ms Carin Brand - Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium & Tuba

Carin Brand studied at the University of the Free State and started her teaching career as an English teacher at Queen’s College Boys’ High School in Queenstown. She taught Music at Paarl Boys’ High School before joining Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre as the Head of Department: Brass in 2008.

Mr Renaldo Wales - Trumpet

Renaldo started playing the trumpet in 2004 in the church brigades and took lessons at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre. He was principal trumpeter of the Hugo Lambrechts Symphony Orchestra as well as the Hugo Lambrechts Symphonic Wind Band and in 2009 he became the principal trumpeter of the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Renaldo completed his studies at the University of Stellenbosch in 2014 and started his teaching career thereafter. During his time at Stellenbosch University he was principal trumpeter of the University of Stellenbosch Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Band and Brass Ensemble. He is also a member of WindWorx and Cape Town Brass.

Renaldo was selected as on-stage trumpeter to perform Porgy and Bess in Téatro Real, Madrid (2015), Téatro Colon, Buenos Aires – Argentina (2016) and in South Korea (2018) with the Cape Town Opera.

He has received masterclasses from Manu Asensi (Spain), Pièrre Du Tôt (France), Leon Pétré (Belgium), Hans Zeller (Germany), Rik Ghesquière (Belgium), Francesc Castello (Spain) and Richard Gonzalez (Spain).

Ms Lindsay Mulgrew - French Horn & Piano

Lindsay Mulgrew began piano lessons with her mother at the age of five. Given a choice of instruments to learn in high school she chose French Horn and had achieved Grade 8 distinctions in both instruments before leaving school. She was offered a place at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London to continue learning horn and during her time there studied with Michael Thompson, Tony Chidell, Tony Halstead and Jeff Bryant. After completing her studies there she continued in London doing free-lance work around the UK and spending the summer season in Germany playing for the Kurorchester Bad Wiessee and the SüdBayerische Philharmonie where she also appeared as a soloist on a number of occasions. Originally from Scotland, she came to Cape Town as 3rd Horn in the CAPAB Orchestra in 1992 and has been a member of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra since its formation in 2001. She has been the French Horn teacher at Hugo Lambrechts since 2008.

Ms Suzette Brits - Percussion

Piano & Music Theory

Ms Carike Byker - Piano & Theory

Carike Byker obtained her BMus (Cum Laude) and BMusHons (Cum Laude) at the University of Stellenbosch (2007-2011), with piano and flute as main instruments, and specialising in flute performance. In 2011 she added part-time organ studies to her musical activities and in 2017 became Colleague of the Royal College of Organists, after successfully completing studies abroad. During this time, she taught in various schools in London, United Kingdom. For a change of scenery Carike frequently takes part in road running events.

Ms Vanessa Phillips - Piano, Music Theory & Basic Music Education

Vanessa holds a BMus in piano performance from the University of Stellenbosch as well as a Performance Diploma from the Royal Schools of Music. She had her debut as soloist with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra while at University. Vanessa is an active chamber musician, specializing in piano accompaniment. She has a special interest in inclusive education, especially pertaining to music education and community development. She has experience in directing and assisting community projects aimed at choral music workshops, community dance theatres and arts initiatives.

Ms Tessa De Groote - Piano

Tessa De Groote obtained her BMus and Piano Performer’s Licentiate (Chamber Music) through UNISA, with the late Professor Lamar Crowson as her instructor. During these years, she and her ensemble won third and the year after, second prize, at the Oude Meester National Chamber Music Competition. She also appeared several times as soloist with the CTSO. After 10 years of teaching and doing accompanying work at Herschel Girls School, she returned to freelancing, teaching from home and accompanying for exams and eisteddfods, as well as doing some film music composition and attending Vocal Accompaniment courses in France. She is currently studying the Taubman piano method, an ergonomic approach to the piano developed by American piano professor Dorothy Taubman.

Non-Academic Staff

Ms Merinda van Rensburg - Financial Officer

Ms Mariette van Wyngaardt - Administrative Officer

Mr Raymond Fernandez - General Assistant

Mr Calvin Andrew - General Assistant

Mr Francois February - General Assistant

Ms Reeva Filander - General Assistant

Our Facilities

Music Centre

The Music Centre was established in 1986 in what was then known as the old Parow Primary School. The main school building consists of 28 music rooms used for tuition, rehearsals, chamber music concerts, master classes, internal and external examinations, meetings, and small functions. Each venue has been customized to be fit-for-purpose. There are 23 individual classrooms, all equipped with musical instruments as needed. In addition, there are 3 large rehearsal rooms, and 2 examination venues with 2 grand pianos in each.

The following venues are available to rent upon request:

· A14 is a large salon with 2 Yamaha grand pianos. It overlooks the courtyard and is also suitable for receptions.

· A6 is a dedicated examination room with 2 Kawai grand pianos.

· C1 is a large rehearsal room with a high Victorian ceiling, suitable for larger gatherings or orchestra rehearsals.

· Smaller rooms such as A1, A13, B2 and C5 are used as waiting/warm-up/meeting breakaway rooms.

Make a booking

Auditorium

The widely acclaimed Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium, with its ultra-modern design and acoustics, was built by the City of Cape Town and inaugurated in 2002 thanks to the relentless efforts of the former principal Mr Leon Hartshorne and the former Parow/Tygerberg mayor, Mr Attie Adriaanse.

The Auditorium is used for music performances by Hugo Lambrechts pupils, ensembles, and orchestras. It is also a sought-after venue for visiting national and international artists and has become the venue of choice for music competitions and classical music video and sound recordings in Cape Town.

The Auditorium seats 450 people and the stage can accommodate 70 orchestra members as well as 140 choir members in the choir gallery. There are 2 Steinway concert grand pianos available for use on stage.

The impressive foyer houses a service bar and an equipped kitchen, and backstage are several warm-up rooms for artists:

· Room G9 usually serves as the orchestra warm-up room. It contains a Yamaha grand and an upright piano and is also suitable for exams, rehearsals, master classes or small functions.

· Room 1.3, the other large assembly room upstairs, is the choir warm-up room which also serves as a function/training venue.

· G2, G3, G4 and G5 are small warm-up rooms, each equipped with an upright piano.

· Rooms G6, the general “green room”, serves as a meeting room. It has direct access to the stage via the piano room.

· Rooms 1.1 and 1.2 upstairs are suited for small gatherings. They are also used as individual warm-up rooms if no piano is required.

Make a booking

Our History

First Principal : Mr Leon Hartshorne

In the 1980s Mr Hugo Lambrechts, a former Director of Education at the Cape Education Department, raised the question as to why there are so few South African instrumentalists in our professional symphony orchestras. The answer, according to him, was that we did not have educational facilities where our children could start instrumental tuition at a young age. Mr Lambrechts wanted a music centre in the Parow area to serve the community of the northern suburbs. Although he was told that there was no money for such a centre, he persisted and used limited funds over a 3-year period. In 1986 he established the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre in the old Parow Primary School, at the corner of Picton and Alexandra Streets.

The original school building situated on the premises, was once known as the Parow Public School. Dating back to 1903, this section today houses the Brass and Percussion department. Parow Public School grew rapidly and by 1912 another building was added, now housing the Hugo Lambrechts Strings’ Department and several administrative and performance venues. By 1949/1950 the Parow Public School building was enlarged to accommodate 800 school pupils up to what was then known as Standard 6 (now Grade 8). This section of the building now houses the Woodwinds, Singing, Piano and Guitar Departments.

In 1953, at its 50th birthday celebrations, the Parow Public School was renamed the Parow Primary School. Numbers dwindled thereafter as Parow developed into an industrial area, resulting in parts of the building being converted to the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre in 1986. By 1989 all the remaining Parow Primary learners were transferred to Parow East Primary School and the Music Centre took over the entire premises.

The late Leon Hartshorne was appointed the first principal in 1986. His 3 heads of department were Louis van der Watt (Strings), Darryl Walters (Woodwinds) and Faan Malan (Brass). Their mission was to provide instrumental music tuition to school-going learners primarily in the northern suburbs of Cape Town.

With an initial emphasis on symphonic wind, percussion, and string instrument tuition, the prospect of establishing ensembles, wind bands and string orchestras was soon to become a reality. This has remained and integral part of the curriculum today. Fulfilling Mr Lambrechts’s dream, the development of the various bands and orchestras as well as the fast-progressing learners culminated in the formation of the Hugo Lambrechts Symphony Orchestra which had its debut performance, under the baton of Leon Hartshorne, at the five-year celebration of the Music Centre in 1991.

Another dream came true in 2002 when the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium was completed. This world class concert venue, which seats 450 people and can handle an entire symphony orchestra and choir on its stage, has, since its completion, prompted performances by local and international artists on a yearly basis. It is also home to two of the largest music competitions in the country, the Hubert van der Spuy National Youth Music Competition (for primary school learners) and the National Youth Music Competition (for high school learners). It has also proved to be an important performance platform for all learners at the Music Centre, a privilege that very few other educational institutions in South Africa can boast with.

A combined passion for the importance of community development, and the irreplaceable role that music can play in this endeavour, lead to the establishing of the Hugo Lambrechts Music Development Programme in 2002. Initially, with just one school from the surrounding areas, the programme now provides music tuition to learners from six different partnership schools.

Over the years the Music Centre has expanded to not only include woodwind, brass and percussion instruments but also singing, guitar, piano, harp, and theory tuition to its list of offered subjects. Heads of department who succeeded the initial management team have included Madelein van Rooyen, Lida Pieterse, Leonore Ehlers and Charlene Bogenhagen (Strings), Arisa Voges and Carin Bam (Woodwinds) and Johann Pretorius and George Foster (Brass). After the untimely death of Leon Hartshorne in 2012, Leonore Ehlers took over as principal and upon her retirement she was succeeded by Arisa Voges in 2017.

Learners from the Music Centre have gone on to further their music tuition at all the leading tertiary institutions in South Africa and take up teaching roles in schools, institutions, and orchestras around the country. Many of our learners have also furthered their music studies and careers at leading institutions and conservatoires abroad. From early on it was evident that the level of instruction received at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre was on par with anywhere in the world as our learners were featuring prominently in competitions across the country and even abroad. This is a feature that has remained strong to this day with learners regularly achieving great success in all the leading competitions across the country. We are proud to say that several Hugo Lambrechts learners have been announced as overall winners in all the major primary school, high school and tertiary level music competitions over the years:

· Sharon de Kock (Violin): Winner, SANLAM National Music Competition for Primary School Pupils, 1990

· Sarah Oates (Violin): Winner, National Youth Music Competition, 1990

· Magdalena de Vries (Percussion): Winner, ATKV Forte Competition, 1994

· Birgit Seifart (Violin): Winner, SANLAM National Music Competition for Primary School Pupils, 1996

· Ilse Minnie (Percussion): Winner, ATKV Prelude Competition, 1999

· Hamman Schoonwinkel (Saxophone): Winner, SANLAM National Music Competition for Primary School Pupils, 2006, and National Youth Music Competition, 2009

· Qden Blaauw (Piano): Winner, SAMRO Hubert van der Spuy Music Competition for Primary School Pupils, 2016

· Cameron Williams (Saxophone): Winner, ATKV Muziq Competition, 2018.

Orchestral and ensemble tours have also been part and parcel of the Hugo Lambrechts year plan from the outset, with the most recent tour to Eastern Europe in 2016.

At present 12 full-time and 10 part-time specialised music teachers provide tuition for learners from all sectors of our diverse community. Initially focused on providing instrumental to learners from the northern suburbs of Cape Town, the Music Centre has widened its learner base to include pupils from as far away as Citrusdal and Malmesbury.