Hennie Joubert Piano Competition

In 1983 the South African piano manufacturer Dietman proposed a sponsorship for the promotion of the performing arts to the Wellington Music Society, through their contact with Dr Manie Rust. It was decided to use the funds to start a new piano competition. Joan de Villiers (chair of the Wellington Music Society) contacted Hannelie Prinsloo, André Serfontein and Bennie van Eeden to serve with her as founding members of the Dietman Piano Competition. The first competition was held in 1984 with Virginia Fortesque, Bennie van Eeden and Cecilia Lourens as judges. In later years John Roos, Hubert van der Spuy, Juliana de Villiers, James May, Hendrik Hofmeyr, Johan de Klerk, Ian Smith, Ruth Goveia en Mari Gerdes served on the panel.

The year 1986 was marked by the untimely passing of one of South Africa’s most influential musicians. It was decided that the Dietman Piano Competition will be renamed in memory of Hennie Joubert to the Hennie Joubert Piano Competition. Subsequently the competition has grown into the most prestigious piano competition for South African youth. Previous contestants reads like a “who’s who” of the South African music industry.

The competition was first held in the Goodnow Hall of the then Wellington Teacher’s College. Initially the final round was performed with a second piano in the Wellington Town Hall. Later the final round was moved to the Endler Hall in Stellenbosch and performed with orchestra. After 20 years the competition temporarily came to a halt. In 2011 André Serfontein who acted as competition organizer over many years, contacted the Department of Music at Stellenbosch University, who decided to continue the competition as part of the biennial Piano Symposium. Through the generous sponsorship of the Rupert Music Foundation, Yamaha and Global Music, the 2012 Hennie Joubert Piano Competition was once more announced, with a founding member: Bennie van Eeden, serving on the panel of judges. This partnership with sponsors has continued to make the 2016 competition a reality, so that the Hennie Joubert Pianoforte Competition can continue the development of the most talented young pianists in South Africa.

2014
Landi Schaap
Lezanti van Sittert
Ewan Slabber
Roelof Temmingh *
Bronwyn van Wieringen

2012
Sulayman Human*
Caryn Reed
Roelof Temmingh
Lezanti van Sittert
Rashalia Pather

2002 (download program)
Nadine Holemans
Sylvia Jen
Nico Lourens
Isabelle van Rensburg
Annemie Stimie
Ben Schoeman*
Bruce Williams
Esthea Kruger

2000 (download program)
Nico de Villiers
Nadine Holemans
Sylvia Jen
Justin Krawitz
Esthea Kruger
Grethe Nöthling*
John Ntsepe
Inette Swart
Willem van Schalkwyk
Janándi van Schoor

1999 (download program)
Anne Marshall
Heloïse Murdoch
Louis Nortje*
Grethe Nöthling
Inette Swart

1996 (download program)
Chien-Jung Chen
Sophia Grobler
Alison Heher
Cara Hesse*
Li-Li Huang
Sonya Hwang
Stephen Pierce
Cecilie Siebrits
Kathleen Tagg
Salmome van der Walt

1994 (download program)
Tinus Botha
Charl de Villiers
Shirli Gilbert
Kerren Hendey
Ji-eun Lee
Bernard Linde
Marelize Marx
Viviana Savov*
Kathleen Tagg
Salomé van der Walt

1992
Charl de Villiers
Alex Gabriel
Shirli Gilbert
Kerryn Hendey
Charlene Jansen van Rensburg
Herman Jordaan
Jonathan Oshry
Hanja Strydom*
Riana Vermaak
Esté Visser
Hilda Visser

1990 (download program)
Jeanne-Minette Cilliers*
Melissa Fourie
Margaret Foxcroft
Alex Gabriel
Anthony George
Pierre-Jacques Joubert
Mark Nixon
Maria Sperling
Hanja Strydom
Hillet van den Berg

1988 (download program)
Jeanne-Minette Cilliers
Maurice Fine
Margaret Foxcroft
Anthony George
Marida Koekemoer
Stephánus Muller
Daniël-Ben Pienaar*
Nina Schumann
Lynette Stulting

1986 (download program)
Ingrid Beute
Jeanne-Minette Cilliers
Shallice Cockram
Christopher Duigan
Catherine Foxcroft
Maryke Funk
Rachelle Jonck
Elsabeth Lubbe
Petronel Malan*
Vincent Rowley
Nina Schumann
Tertia Visser

1984 (download program)
Annalené Badenhorst
Rachelle Jonck*
Nicolene van der Walt
Tertia Visser
Claudia Weyranther
Wendy-Anne Woodland