Call for entries for SAMRO music competition

Now in its fourth year, the project builds on the strong foundation laid by the SA Society of Music Teachers (SASMT) 26 years ago when fledgling musicians competed on a national basis for the first time. The closing date for this year's competition is Friday, 18 April. Auditions in the main centres will commence at the beginning of June. About 60 candidates will eventually be selected to compete over four rounds at the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium in Parow, Cape Town, from 29 September to 3 October 2014.

Candidates will compete in four categories: Piano, Strings, Woodwind & Brass Instruments, and Other Instruments (percussion, recorder, classical guitar and harp), with a sub-category for developmental groups. Candidates must still be 13 (14 for developmental groups) at the time of the competition.

This year South African works are compulsory. "As a composer organisation, we would love to see more South African works being performed at this competition and others around the country. As we celebrate our performers, so too should we celebrate those who create uniquely South African music", André le Roux, Managing Director of the SAMRO Foundation comments.

The competition includes an incentive for developmental groups from disadvantaged communities to compete on equal terms. Medals, prize-money totalling more than R80 000 and other attractive prizes are at stake.

Full particulars and entry forms are available at: www.samrohubertvanderspuy.wordpress.com

According to Hilda Boonzaaier, president of the SASMT: Tygerberg, the competition has a broad appeal amongst instrumentalists across the music spectrum at junior level.

"It offers participants the chance to distinguish themselves within the ambit of their own sections, and also facilitates interaction and contact between students, teachers and parents from divergent communities in South Africa. The 25th winner last year, Arjen van Renssen, happened to be a student of the very first winner in 1989, the acclaimed cellist Anzél Gerber."

André le Roux expressed his appreciation for the exceptional and inspiring performances he witnessed during the past three competitions.

"SAMRO is proud to be the link between the two platforms for music excellence - the SAMRO Hubert van der Spuy Competition and the SAMRO Overseas Scholarships Competition, the latter now in its 53rd year of existence.

We feel privileged to be part of this trajectory of excellence in music. A number of candidates who excelled in this competition, such as Jan Hugo, Megan-Geoffrey Prins, Avigail Bushakevitz and Jacques-Pierre Malan, have also been highly successful in being award winners in our SAMRO Overseas Scholarships competition."

He added that SAMRO is committed, through the SAMRO Foundation, to support projects of excellence, at many levels. These projects include the Gauteng and Cape Town Big Band Jazz Festivals for high school students, the SAMRO Music Bursaries at tertiary level and finally, the pinnacle of its flagship projects, the SAMRO Overseas Scholarships competitions.