Peacebuilder pianist to perform in Gtown
South African pianist Emma Luyendijk is the featured performer in a concert hosted by the Grahamstown Music Society on Thursday 30 March at 7.30 pm.
On the programme are works by Janacek, Debussy, Ginastera, Liszt and Beethoven.
Luyendijk is not only an award-winning performer, but also is a researcher in and practitioner of music as a mediator of peace and conflict.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance (piano) and Psychology from the University of Cape Town.
Continuing under the tuition of Professor Albie van Schalkwyk she went on to obtain her BA Honours in Music Performance graduating with distinction.
During her time as a student, Luyendijk won several competitions including the Lionel Bowman Prize for Beethoven Playing, The Robert Andrews Prize and the Laura Searle Prize for Concerto Playing.
In 2016 she performed Bartok’s Third Piano Concerto with the UCT Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Cock.
For four years she worked with the Hout Bay Music Project Trust teaching violin to underprivileged children in Cape Town and in 2013 moved to Thailand where she taught music and English.
In 2016 Luyendijk visited Japan where she volunteered with the international music organisation, El Sistema, teaching music to victims of the 2011 tsunami.
During that time, she also gave a recital with Los Angeles-based violist, Richard Elegino.
Emma was awarded the UCT Pulvermacher Prize for her research paper ' Music as a mediator of Peace and Conflict: Manipulating Evoked Responses'.
In 2016 she attended a three-week Conflict Transformation Course in Washington DC, US, where she also completed training in music-based peacebuilding interventions with the internationally acclaimed organisation Musicians Without Borders.
In December last year she was the accompanist for the first Southern African Tuba and Euphonium Course that included a recital with Yama- ha-Artist, Albert Khattar.
Luyendijk has just returned from New York where she was invited to visit the Carnegie Hall Weill Institute. She has been accepted into New York University’s Gallatin School where she intends to study music, diplomacy and peacebuidling.
The concert on Thursday at 7.30pm will be in the Drill Hall, St Andrew’s College. Tickets at the door R90 (adults), R70 (pensioners), R50 (tertiary students). Schoolgoers and GMS members free.