A day in the life at the University of Pretoria. 30 March 2007

On this "Day in the life of the University of Pretoria" postgraduate students from the Department of Music performed in the Musaion as part of their fulfillment for the requirements for their degree DMus (Preforming Art).

On this evening Inette Swart performed on piano, Anzel Gerber performed on violoncello and Merryl Monard performed on flute. The students played piece from Bach’s Sonata in E minor, Schubert’s Sonata in A minor, Martin’s Ballade for flute and piano, Sancan’s Sonata for flute and piano as well as Shostakovich’s Sonata for violoncello and piano.  Musical instruction started in 1922 at the then Transvaal University College and a Faculty of Music was officially founded in 1923. However the new faculty struggled with financing and in 1929 the Faculty was incorporated as a department in the Faculty of Humanities.  Despite this incorporation die department struggled to survive and in 1933 all classes was stopped and the department seized to exist. Growing interest in musical studies and church music specifically saw the Department be reestablished in 1959 with a donation from the Pretoria municipality. Classes officially started again in 1961 in the new Department of Music.

The UPA preserves the history of the University of Pretoria. We have an extensive photo collection and earlier copies of the senate, council and faculty minutes. We also have an extensive clipping collection in our holdings as featured here. Please contact us on [email protected] to share your memories of Tukkies or access our collection virtually.