de Villiers, Helena

 

b. Gobabis, Namibia, 1 October 1974

 

Helena de Villiers (née Van der Westhuizen)  received tuition in piano and violin at the former Windhoek Conservatoire in Namibia (now the Namibian National College for the Arts) and matriculated in 1992 at Windhoek High School.  In the same year she attended the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, USA, with a bursary from the Windhoek Conservatoire, as a piano student of Valerie van Biljon.

 

In 1996 and 1998 respectively, Helena obtained the degrees BMus (Performing Arts) and BMus Hons (Performing Arts) cum laude at the University of Pretoria, as a piano student of Prof. Joseph Stanford.  She also passed the UNISA teacher's licenciate examination (piano) in 1995 with distinction, and UNISA chamber music licenciate in 1996.

 

Helena de Villiers received tuition in composition from Henk Temmingh in 1995 and 1996, and is currently doing her masters degree in composition at the University of Pretoria as a student of Alexander Johnson.  In 2001 she took part in master classes presented by George Crumb.

 

De Villiers has been teaching music at St. Mary's Diocesan School for Girls since 1997, and performs regularly as an accompanist. In 2002, she won the Distell Composition Competition in South Africa.

 

 

Helena de Villiers (nee Van der Westhuizen) ontvang klavier- en vioolonderrig aan die Windhoek Konservatorium (nou die Nasionale Kollege vir die Kunste) en matrikuleer in 1992 aan Windhoek Hoërskool.  In dieselfde jaar woon sy die Interlochen Kamp vir die Kunste te Michigan, VSA by met 'n beurs van die Windhoek Konservatorium, as klavierstudent van Valerie van Biljon.

 

Helena de Villiers ontvang in 1996 en 1998 onderskeidelik die grade BMus (Uitvoerende Kuns) en BMus Honneurs (Uitvoerende Kuns) met lof aan die Universiteit van Pretoria, as klavierstudent van Prof. Joseph Stanford.  Sy slaag die UNISA onderwyslisensiaateksamen (klavier) in 1995 met lof, en UNISA kamermusieklisensiaat in 1996.

 

De Villiers ontvang in 1995 en 1996 onderrig in komposisie by Prof. Henk Temmingh, en doen tans haar meestersgraad in komposisie aan die Universiteit van Pretoria as student van Dr. Alexander Johnson.  In 2001 neem sy deel aan meesterklasse aangebied deur George Crumb.

 

Sy gee sedert 1997 musiekonderrig by St. Mary's Diocesan School for Girls in Pretoria, en tree ook gereeld op as begeleier.

 

 

Orchestral Works:

 

Sacred music for chamber orchestra (2002)

 

 

Chamber Music:

 

Three violin duets (1995)

Misterioso for solo violin (1995)

String Quartet (1996)

Sonatina for bassoon and piano (1996)

Sonatina for flute and piano (2002)

Trio for clarinet, piano and cello (2003)

 

 

Piano Music:

 

Pikaninie variations (1995) (Published in Musicus vol. 25.1.1997)

Five Mood Pieces for piano (1996)

Three piano pieces for children (1997)

 

 

Choral Works:

 

Kerslied (1996) SATTB

 

This land (1997) SSATTB (Text: 'The Artist' by Roy Allen)

 

 

Solo Vocal Works:

 

Drie toonsettings vir mezzosopraan en klavier (1995)

1.  Verby (DF Malherbe)

2.  Nagreën (WEG Louw)

3.  Vaalvalk (WEG Louw)

 

Three songs for mezzo soprano and piano (2003)

1.  Who has seen the wind? (C. Rosetti)

2.  A Birthday (C. Rossetti)

3.  Echo (C. Rossetti)

 

Biesie-Biesie-Bame for soprano and piano (AG Visser)