Pretoria conductor warming up for 2016 competition
“One should always aspire to be better, generally that way you never stop learning” he says smiling.
Gopolang Chawane
Schalk van der Merwe, a young passionate classical music conductor and one of South Africa’s shining stars, embarks on a new challenge as he competes in the finals of a world-class competition on 13 and 14 June next year. Van der Merwe will compete with the finest in the world at the Len van Zyl conducting competition in Cape Town.
Van der Merwe admits to be a fond lover of Beethoven’s classical history. A patron of the arts, Schalk will be competing in the prestigious Len van Zyl conducting competition in Cape Town. He has been invited to the semi-finals which will take place next year in Cape Town. “One should always aspire to be better, generally that way you never stop learning,” he said smiling.
He said some conductors sensationalise the music when one should only let the music speak at its own forged pace. “The aim is to carry the piece so it reaches its audience untainted.”
With a quirky sense of humour, Van der Merwe comes across as a suave, immaculate individual who takes his role as conductor and musical tutor very seriously.
He has been active as conductor since 2011 and currently holds positions of assistant conductor at the Pretoria symphony orchestra, principal conductor of the Sempre opera company, principal conductor of the Armonia chamber singers, principal guest conductor of the Composer’s National Collegium, and the University of Pretoria symphony orchestra‘s interim and assistant conductor.
In February 2014 he toured with Sempre opera to Namibia as conductor where concerts were performed at the Namibia national theatre.
At the age of 23 he conducted his first opera, Mozart’s Magic flute, of which six successful performances were done and he will be conducting Bizet’s Carmen this July and August at the Brooklyn theatre.
Van der Merwe wishes to complete his Master of music degree in orchestral conducting this year and hopes to develop and promote orchestral and choral music in South Africa after travelling abroad to gain experience and knowledge as conductor and musician.
Len van Zyl, founder of the national conductors’ competition, had a successful international career in the fields of advertising and marketing and he has also had a passionate interest in music throughout his life, thus forging the national conductors’ competitions in search for African as well as international musical protégés.
The Len van Zyl conductors’ competition is open to South African nationals who will not be older than 33 on 1 January 2016 and who have undergone at least part of their music training in South Africa.
Participants will compete for a single prize: a trip to the United States, which includes a month’s internship with the Philadelphia orchestra and two months in Chicago with Prof. Victor Yampolsky and the North Western University orchestra. All travel and accommodation expenses for the trip will be paid by the Len van Zyl conductors’ competition.
Len van Zyl says the competition is special. “Classical music is a very important pillar in the cultural life of any civilised community. It is alive in South Africa but certainly needs all the support it can muster in order to ensure its continued success and growth.”
When asked if he was nervous about the competition, Van der Merwe admits competition is always healthy in terms of growth.
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