Staff

Nelmarie Rabie – Head of Department, Voice, theory

Nelmarie Rabie is a contemporary and jazz vocalist, music arranger and teacher. She holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Pretoria. Nelmarie was appointed as Head of Department of Pro Arte Music Academy in October 2018. Before her appointment at HOD she was a lecturer at Tshwane University of Technology’s Performing Arts Department as well as other schools. Nelmarie’s voice student’s achievements include winner and runner-up for the National UNISA Voice competition, overall winners at the Pretoria Eisteddfod as well as highest aggregate and best marks nationally for Rock School exams. Being a 2-time semi-finalist in the prestigious SAMRO Overseas Scholarship for Singers competition herself, Nelmarie is a performing artist in her own right and has toured nationally and internationally. Nelmarie is regularly included as backing vocalists for big stage productions such as the Grand Finale Concert at the Innibos Festival, Sun Arena with Jo Black as well as Voortrekker Monument with Steve Hofmeyer and orchestra. Nelmarie regularly performs with fellow colleagues and musicians, Marcel Dednam and Werner Spies.

Charl Lamprecht – Classical Guitar

Friederike Scholtz – Violin, Viola, Piano, Theory

Friederike Scholtz studied piano with Prof Joseph Stanford, violin with Serge Cuca and viola with Elmarie van der Vyver. She holds a Master of Music degree (cum laude) from the University of Pretoria. During her undergraduate years, Friederike was a member of University of Pretoria Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), Miagi and the South African National Youth Orchestra (SANYO). She has received viola master classes from noted Baroque specialist Antionette Lohmann and Mozarteum violist Milan Radic. A chamber music enthusiast, Friederike is the violist and founding member of the Serendipity Strings Ensemble and regularly participates in other chamber music projects. Friederike is also a part-time lecturer in music history at the University of Pretoria.

Marcel Dednam – Piano, Jazz, Theory

Marcel Dednam is a pianist, composer and arranger who is currently teaching piano at Pro Arte Music Academy and lecturing part-time at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). He holds a BTech and NDip in music (TUT) and completed his Master of Music degree in jazz performance in 2019. Marcel has been teaching piano for 10 years and regularly accompanies various artists. He has worked with various artists including Nataniël, Leon Gropp, Corlea Botha, Elvis Blue, Peter Auret, Nelmarie Rabie, Justin Holcroft, Luke van der Merwe and Anna Davel. In 2015 he was a semi-finalist in the 5th UNISA National Piano Competition. In 2017 he recorded and launched his debut original jazz album, entitled Blue Bird. He is currently working on his second album.

Anna-Maria Vermeulen – Flute, Recorder, Theory

Anna-Maria Vermeulen received her Bachelors, Honours, and Masters degrees in flute performance (cum laude) at the University of Pretoria.  She also holds a Performer’s Licentiate from the University of South Africa. Anna-Maria has played both flute and piccolo in many orchestras and bands, given plenty of recitals, played as the soloist with orchestras and participated in masterclasses of many prestigious flutists.  She is also the flute and flute methodology lecturer at the University of Pretoria and enjoys teaching students of all ages and varying abilities. 

Landi Schaap – Piano

Landi obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance in 2020 with distinction at the University of Pretoria’s School of the Arts and continued her studies towards a Master’s degree in Piano Performance with her research topic on South African classical pianists’ lived experiences of preventing and recovering from playing- and performance-related injuries. As concert soloist, she most recently performed Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini with the Rand Symphony Orchestra in the Etienne Rousseau Theatre in Sasolburg as well as at the Linder Auditorium which was conducted by Carel Henn in November 2022. Landi also has a passion for teaching and currently teaches piano and music theory on various levels with five years of teaching experience. She regularly participates in chamber music and accompaniment and is also part of the accompaniment team of several choirs in Pretoria. Beside piano, Landi also enjoys playing the flute.

Megan Napier – Classical Voice

Megan Napier, South African Mezzo-Soprano, recently returned from the United States of America, where she obtained her MMus in Vocal Performance at Missouri State University. Whilst there, she performed in operas, competitions and recitals. Some of her roles included Zelda ’48 in The Ghosts of Gatsby (Mack) and Zita in Gianni Schicchi (Puccini), both with Missouri State Opera. She was a part of the Ozarks Lyric Opera chorus, and was in their productions of L’Orfeo (Monteverdi) and Pagliacci (Leoncavallo). Megan was also a member of a number of choirs and ensembles in Springfield, Missouri. Prior to that, in 2018, she earned her BMus from the University of Pretoria. Before leaving for the States, she performed as a soloist with both the Pretoria Symphony Orchestra (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mendelssohn) and Brooklyn Theatre (Countess Ceprano and Giovanna in Rigoletto, Verdi). In June 2023, she sang the alto solo in the Chamber Singers’ performance of Mozart’s Requiem. In addition to opera, oratorio and mass, Megan enjoys performing a variety of art song. She has a passion for teaching and held two university positions as an adjunct voice instructor in Missouri. She currently works as a part-time lecturer at the University of Pretoria in Classical Voice and Opera Studies, teaching both Voice and Vocal Methodology.

Andrea Racionzer – Oboe

Andrea is a passionate and accomplished musician with some 40 years of playing and teaching experience in South Africa and England. Andrea obtained her Bachelor of Music degree through UCT and Unisa and is the 1^st Oboist of the Pretoria Symphony Orchestra. Andrea’s musical instincts and personal qualities bring out the best in her students and many of them have gone on to study music and are either professional musicians or music teachers themselves.

Deryn Dednam – Saxophone

Deryn Dednam found her love for music at a young age pursuing piano and saxophone, eventually completing her Grade 8 UNISA Music Exam in both instruments.  After matriculating, she went on to study music at the University of Pretoria and obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in 2015 as well as a PGCE in 2020 at UNISA. In 2018 Deryn participated in the Philip Moore Music Competition where she placed 2nd in the final round.  Deryn currently teaches subject music and saxophone at Pro Arte Alphen Park and performs on a regular basis at concerts and functions.

Dr. Kobus Groenewald – Piano, flute, Theory

Kobus studied music at the University of Pretoria with Piano and Flute as practical subjects. Thereafter he obtained a Doctorate in Musicology and a Higher Education Diploma at Unisa. Kobus is sought-after accompanist of particularly choirs and has performed countrywide as well as abroad. Currently he works with the Mootkantate in Pretoria but in the past has accompanied the South African Chamber Choir’s concerts in Holland and Belgium as well the Male Choir of Roth in Germany three times. As a flautist, Dr. Groenewald was a co-founder of Pretoria Symphony Orchestra and has played under conductors like Gerben Grootten and Jaco van Staden. He also attended master classes under British flautist Trevor Wye. Kobus is especially interested in Early Music and has performed on Baroque Flute and Harpsichord with the Johannesburg Early Music Ensemble.

Jerome Daniels – Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba

In 1991, Jerome Daniels joined the ranks of the, SAPS Western Cape band as learner musician till he took a transfer in the year 2000 to the SAPS Tshwane Band, where he is currently holding the rank of captain. He completed various internal music exams from learner musician to Band master level, including the ‘Complete Brass Method Teaching’ course at University of Cape Town, under the lectureship of Sean Kierman head of Brass and Wind Music Department in 1997. He was part of the leadership team of the SAPS National Band that travelled to Germany and Switzerland for two band festivals respectively in 2000 and 2010, and participated in the well-known SA Tattoo that was hosted at Monti-casino for many years. He also performed with the renowned JFO under the directorship of Richard Cock, and performed with Canzona Brass quintet. Currently he is part of a four piece cover band that perform a variety of music genres comprising of light-classical, oompah, 80’s pop, reggae and jazz that entertains audiences in the corporate world and restaurants alike.

Stephen Kosterman – Guitar and Drumkit

Stephen Jonathan Kosterman is a musician and music teacher from Pretoria who obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Pretoria majoring in Jazz Guitar. He is also a singer-songwriter and a drummer who is currently the resident drum and guitar teacher at Pro Arte Alphen Park with 13 years of teaching experience. Stephen has shared stages all over the country with many artists as himself, Stephen Jonathan and in his band Stones & Gold with artists like Dan Patlansky, Roan Ash, Jeremy Loops, Matthew Mole and more, performing extensively at various festivals and events across South Africa. He has released numerous singles/ EP’s and albums and is still currently writing, recording and performing his own original music as well as the music of others. His playing features in numerous projects (Misty Milk, String Therapy, Deon Bakkes and the Stolen Horses and many more). He is a session musician and is called upon by numerous artists when needed, most recently for Karlien van Jaarsveld and Joshua na die Reën. 

Tesmarie Kachelhoffer – Violin

Tesmarie Kachelhoffer completed her Master of Music degree (cum laude) in violin performance at the University of Pretoria in 2021. Her research topic explored the efficacy of recommendations made by renowned pedagogues on bow technique. Currently she also coaches the Popsicles String Quartet for young players at Pro Arte. Tesmarie is an experienced orchestral musician and has worked with numerous professional orchestras including the Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra, Phoenix Co. Orchestra, KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Johannesburg Festival Orchestra. Currently she is a permanent member of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Most recently, she performed with the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra during their tour through South Africa in December (2022) conducted by the renowned Marin Alsop.

Toni Ivanova – Cello

Toni was born and educated in Bulgaria. After finishing her National Music Academy, she became a member of Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1991 she moved with her family to South Africa and was appointed Principal Cellist with the State Theatre Orchestra. In 2018 she was appointed Principal cellist with the GPO. Since 2002 she has been a part time teacher at Pro Arte Music Academy. She is also a session musician and has recently recorded two albums, entitled “Romantic pieces for cello and piano” “and Opus 3”, with Annalien Ball. Both are currently being broadcasted on Classic FM.

Werner Spies – Double Bass and Bass Guitar

Werner Spies holds an Master of Music degree in Musicology from Unisa and is a sought-after free-lance musician, working most often with Nataniël and Steinway Artist® Charl du Plessis. Apart from Nataniël and Charl du Plessis, Werner has recorded with many artists including: Herman Bergman, Andra, Annari, Nell, The Phat Brass Big Band, Jannie du Toit & Christa Steyn, Jak de Priester, Pilani Bubu, Frank Opperman and the Radio Kalahari Orkes. Werner has performed overseas numerous times including tours to China, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Scotland and Namibia. 

Werner lives in Pretoria and completed his B.Tech: Music degree at the Tshwane University of Technology in 2007. He is part-time lecturer at the department since 2009, and co-owns Haloa Coffee, operating a coffee roastery and cafés in Pretoria.

Tshepo Ndlovu – Saxophone and Marimba

Tshepo is a multi-instrumentalist (Guitar, Flute, Saxophone, Recorder, Djembe, Marimba), Arranger, Composer, Performer and Teacher.

Tshepo enjoys ensemble music in various forms and genres, unusual instrument combinations and an exploration of African indigenous and modern music.

Lydia Weber – Clarinet

Lydia Weber started playing the clarinet at age 12 in Durban and studied with the KZN Philharmonic clarinetist Kirsten Sayers. During high school she performed and toured both nationally and internationally with the KZN Youth Wind Band. She is currently in her final year studying the clarinet at the University of Pretoria under Lizet Smith. Lydia regularly performs as a soloist, chamber musician, and in various orchestras. In 2022 she was awarded first clarinet in the International Woodwind Competition Bloemfontein and in 2023 was invited to Dubai as a finalist in the YAMAHA Music Gulf clarinet competition. Lydia has had masterclasses from world-renowned clarinetists such as Wenzel Fuchs, Yao-Guang Zhai, Riccardo Crocilla, Ferdinand Steiner, Vincenzo Casale and Bence Szepesi. She is currently a mentee of Eddy Vanoosthuysen, Belgian lecturer of clarinet in Tilburg where she hopes to study the clarinet further. Lydia currently teaches at Pretoria Girls’ High, Affies Meisieskool and Pro Arte. In addition to her music schedule, Lydia has taken part in numerous leadership seminars and conventions both nationally and internationally.