Local organist headed for the States
Neil Robertson from Rondebosch is going overseas to study the flute
GIFTED musician Neil Robertson has won a scholarship to study the flute at the University of Michigan, US. Robertson, 23, will be doing his Master’s degree. He was also a semi-finalist for a SAMRO scholarship for keyboard players that would send him overseas as well. He withdrew from that and is now on his way to Michigan.
“Unfortunately I will miss the this year’s final round event to be held on August 26, as I had to sacrifice and withdraw.
“Because my dream to study abroad was fortuitously granted. My passion for music started at a young age and was inspired by my teacher. I come from a family that does not have a history with music, but they support me a lot,” he said.
Robertson, from Rondebosch, is currently a student at the UCT’s Music School.
In 2016, he made it onto the Dean’s Merit List during his undergraduate studies and graduated with distinctions in flute, organ, music theory & analysis and chamber music at the South African College of Music, UCT.
Neil recently auditioned for a Master’s in music at three of the five schools to which he applied in the US. He was successful in all these endeavours, being offered a place at three, and wait listed at two. He also received scholarship offers from two prestigious universities.
“I will be starting in September in Michigan and I am ridiculously happy. Apart from the generous scholarship I received upon admission, I received support from the Friends of Orchestral Music, the Apollo Music Trust and most recently from the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust. I cannot thank them enough for this immense honour. I want to continue making my parents proud and want to inspire other children, who want to study music, because with hard work and persistence they can make it.” – okuhle.hlati@inl.co.za