Gisela Scriba

Gisela Scriba received her high school education at Gelofte Hoërskool,Pinetown and was a member of both the Natal Youth Orchestra and Choir. She obtained her BMus in Piano Performance, the Diploma in Church Music and BMus(Hons) in Piano Method at Pretoria University as well as the Higher Education Diploma at the University of South Africa, all Cum Laude. A strong interest in the teaching of the young beginner and in ensemble work culminated in a MMus on 'The piano duet as a teaching medium' which was conferred Cum Laude in 2010. Several articles on this topic have been published in South African music journals.

She teaches piano and music theory at her private studio in Pretoria, with her pupils frequently winning awards on national level. An active member of the South African Society of Music Teachers, she is Chairperson of the Pretoria Centre, has served on the Standing Committee of this society and has been Vice-President for the Gauteng region since 2014. On her initiative the Pretoria centre will be hosting the first SASMT Pretoria Ensemble Competition in September 2017. She regularly presents workshops, adjudicates at music festivals and is a national examiner for the Music Examinations Department of the University of South Africa.

She has been the pianist of the Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool choir since 1996, as well as the Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool choir from 1998, and has travelled with them both nationally and internationally, winning many top awards. Additionally, she regularly accompanies instrumentalists at concerts, festivals, examinations and national competitions.

Deirdré Blignaut

Deirdré Blignaut-Rautenbach (soprano) graduated cum laude at the University of North West as Best Student, Faculty of Arts. After being a language practitioner, she studied singing with Werner Nel, Mimi Coertse, Anna Bender (repertoire) and Eugenie Chopin. She completed a Unisa Performer's Licentiate and MMus at the University of Pretoria cum laude.

She taught voice at North-West University until 2010 and voice practical and methodology at the University of Pretoria until 2016 and is still involved in post-graduate supervising. She currently teaches voice at foremost Pretoria schools and at her private voice studio. In December 2017, her voice students will tour with her for performances in Belgium.

As part of a team of medical and speech/language pathology experts in Pretoria, she is involved as voice specialist in rehabilitation programmes for singers with vocal injuries.

She specialises in oratorio and Lieder, but also sings opera, performing in early operas such as Vivaldi, to well-known roles in Mozart, Donizetti and Puccini. Deirdré performs for and serves as executive committee member for Sempre Opera, an organisation promoting the art form and providing performance opportunities for opera singers in South Africa

Melvin Peters

Melvin Peters is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, educator and church organist. He started classical piano lessons at the age of six and continued throughout high school. His piano tutors included Prof Hubert van der Spuy and Isabella Stengel during this period. Whilst studying towards a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Natal, he began jazz piano lessons under the tutelage of Darius Brubeck in 1983. After completing a Master of Music degree in Jazz Performance in 1989, he was appointed lecturer in Jazz Studies at the University of Durban-Westville in 1990. He taught here for ten years and during this time was awarded a scholarship to study at Harvard University in 1998. He has performed extensively in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Melvin Peters has worked with several leading South African jazz musicians. Career highlights include performances with such jazz luminaries as Herb Ellis and Ginger Baker, as well as the opportunity to share the stage with the legendary Dave Brubeck at Harvard University in 1999. He has collaborated with Abdullah Ibrahim in the formation of the Cape Town Jazz Orchestra, for which he was appointed Music Director. He has performed and tutored regularly at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. Other major performances include collaborations at the Joy of Jazz Festival and the Hilton Festival. He has made several appearances with the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra and also performed in the premiere of Noel Stockton's “Invictus” with the Free State Symphony Orchestra.

He continues to perform regularly with the Melvin Peters Quartet. In April, he undertook a national tour with his band. He is currently the jazz examiner for the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of South Africa. Melvin Peters is the organist and choirmaster at St Paul's Church, Durban. He has been featured on several recordings. At present, he serves on several boards, including UKUSA (Community Music School), UMTHOMBO (Street Children's Project) and KZNPAT (KwaZulu-Natal Performing Arts Trust). He has received several awards, including a “Special Award” from the Samro Endowment for the National Arts (for recognition of excellence as accompanist for the Samro Overseas Scholarship Competition), and the “Order of the Holy Nativity” from the Anglican Diocese of Natal (in recognition of his contribution to church music). He is currently a part-time jazz piano tutor at the Durban Music School and is also engaged in several music projects, both locally and internationally.

Lindsay Johnston

Lindsay Johnston is originally from Zimbabwe and went to study piano at the Royal College of Music in London at a young age. However, whilst there, she decided to pursue the cello as her main instrument, and subsequently has played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the RTE Orchestra of Ireland, the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra and the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra.

Lindsay has also held a number of educational posts as Head of Strings and Head of Music at schools. She now teaches privately and part-time at Rhodes University, where she conducts the orchestra. Much of her time is focused on arranging music for professional and youth orchestras and adjudicating music festivals.

She also spends a lot of time drawing and painting, and is passionate about art and animals.

Hubert van der Spuy

Hubert van der Spuy was born in George, grew up and matriculated in Uniondale. He received his music education at the Universities of Stellenbosch and Port Elizabeth and the Akademie und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. The guidance and instruction he received from Betsy Cluver (piano), Chris Swanepoel (organ) and Isolde Ahlgrimm (harpsichord) were major factors in his development as a practical musician. Klaus Heims, Jan Bouws and Reino Otterman contributed towards his shaping as musicologist. His studies culminated in various licentiates and two doctorates.

He started his career in 1967 as a music lecturer at the Denneoord Training College in Stellenbosch. Between 1970 and 1984 he was attached to the University of Durban-Westville as lecturer, senior lecturer and eventually Professor and Head of the Department of Music. He was Professor of Music of the Department of Music at The University of the Western Cape from 1985 to 1990. In 1991 he was appointed as Director (Professional) at the then Department of Music at Unisa and in 1993 promoted as Professor from which position he retired in 2007. He was editor of Musicus, the biannual accredited journal of the Unisa Directorate of Music for 17 years. His association as Unisa music examiner dates from 1973. During his years of service he examined about 10,500 graded examination candidates and 780 licentiate candidates.

He has had a long acquaintance with the music of the South African born British composer Priaulx Rainier (1903-1986). After her death he was appointed literary trustee for her musical legacy. Through his intervention, most of her music manuscripts found a permanent lodging in the JW Jagger Library at the University of Cape Town.

He is an active member of the SA Society of Music Teachers and was elected National President for four terms. In 2003 he was elected honorary member of this society. His brainchild, the SAMRO Hubert van der Spuy National Music Competition, presented by the SASMT Tygerberg Centre, celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2010. He is the Patron of the Atterbury National Piano Competition.

Hubert van der Spuy has extensive national experience as an adjudicator of competitions, eisteddfods and music festivals. He served on many selection panels and various committees concerned with music and music education. He is an external examiner for practical and theoretical examinations up to doctoral level at various universities. In 1994 he was a jury member of the 7th Unisa Transnet Piano Competition and in 1995 a jury member of the Pan African Music Competition held at Unisa. From 1991 to 2007 he has been the Chairperson of the annual Unisa South African and Unisa Overseas Music Scholarship Competitions.

In October 2010 the University of South Africa awarded him an Honorary Licentiate in Music (HML). In 2011 the Huberte Rupert Prize for Music was awarded to him by the South African Academy for Science and Arts.

At present he resides between Pretoria and Cape Town and is engaged in research regarding aspects of SA music history and acts as external examiner at various universities.

The development of young SA musicians is a passion for Hubert van der Spuy. He endeavours to identify and foster exceptional talent and follows their careers with great enthusiasm and interest. He agrees with Clara Schumann that “there is no greater joy than to live for the arts.”

Gisela Scriba

Gisela Scriba received her high school education at Gelofte Hoërskool, Pinetown and was a member of both the Natal Youth Orchestra and Choir. She obtained her BMus in Piano Performance, the Diploma in Church Music and BMus (Hons) in Piano Method at Pretoria University as well as the Higher Education Diploma at the University of South Africa, all Cum Laude. A strong interest in the teaching of the young beginner and in ensemble work culminated in a MMus on ‘The piano duet as a teaching medium’ which was conferred Cum Laude in 2010. Several articles on this topic have been published in South African music journals.

She teaches piano and music theory at her private studio in Pretoria, with her pupils frequently winning awards on national level. An active member of the South African Society of Music Teachers, she was Chairperson of the Pretoria Centre as well as the Pretoria Eisteddfod from 2015 to 2021, is the treasurer of the Pretoria Centre, has served on the Standing Committee of the SASMT and was Vice-President for the Gauteng region between 2013 and 2019. Currently she is President of the SASMT.

On her initiative the Pretoria centre hosted the first National SASMT Pretoria Ensemble Competition in September 2017. The competition is now hosted annually. She regularly presents workshops, adjudicates at music festivals and national music competitions, and has been a national examiner for practical classical music and marker for the theory exams of the Music Examinations Department of the University of South Africa since 2011. She was a member of a panel of five compiling the 2016 piano syllabus for UNISA and the piano duet examination syllabus was also compiled by her. She is Vice-President Pre-Tertiary of the South African chapter of the World Piano Teachers Association WPTA , established in 2018.

She has been the pianist of the Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool choir since 1996, as well as the Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool choir from 1998, and has travelled with them both nationally and internationally, winning many top awards. Additionally, she regularly accompanies instrumentalists at concerts, festivals, examinations and national competitions.

Shylo Pereira

Shylo Pereira grew up in Kloof, KZN, and is a St. Mary’s old girl. She started playing the violin and piano at the age of 4 and followed with singing, at 9. Voice is her main instrument.

During her school years she competed in many local eisteddfods and competitions, winning many of her chosen categories, in Voice, Piano-Forte and Violin. She has also obtained distinctions in the ABRSM Grade 8 examinations for all three instruments, attaining some of the highest marks in South Africa. She was a member of the St. Mary’s Touring Choir, the KZN Youth Choir and the South African Youth Orchestra all throughout her high school career, performing solos and touring internationally.

Shylo also lived in the United Kingdom for 9 years, where she studied at the prestigious Academy of Contemporary Music, achieving her honours Cum Laude in Performing Arts, before joining the gigging circuit all over UK, Scandinavia and USA. She performed at the Cobden Club with Norah Jones and the acclaimed Sound Café, as well as music festivals performing alongside Simple Minds and Blondie. She has also worked with esteemed Production House, TWIN, who have worked with heavyweights Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Jonas Brothers to name but a few.

In 2014 she was the Overall Grand Champion winner for her Musical Theatre Performance, at the South African Championships of Performing Arts (SACOPA), where she won a fully paid trip to Hollywood in Los Angeles, to compete in the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA), and came back with an International Industry Award.

Shylo has coached one on one Singing, Piano, Violin and Acting lessons as well as conducted workshops in all facets of Singing and Acting, both Film/Production and Stage, since 2002. She also coached Singing at Kearsney College from 2016 - 2018 and has overseen the Thomas More College choirs since 2017.

Shylo has been the director and founder of Project Performer since 2018, a national performing arts platform, based on Artist Development and Education, for singers, dancers, actors and instrumentalists, which strives to give South African Artists a stepping stone into the industry, aligning with many industry professionals around the country and internationally.

More recently, Shylo has added The Project Performer Talent Agency, under the Project Performer umbrella, open to singers, actors, dancers, instrumentalists in all styles, seeking work in the Performing Arts Industry.

Mark Stenhouse

Mark Stenhouse joined Maris Stella Private Girls’ School in Durban in January 2024 as the Director of Music. In his short time there, he has already grown the High School Choir to over 55 Students and has started a Chamber Choir, called the Stellar Singers, which comprises 16 students. These two ensembles have already started making a name for themselves around Durban and the Province, and they look forward to involving themselves in both national and international competitions and tours in the near future.

In May 2024, Mark was promoted to the Director of Creative Arts at Maris Stella, where he will continue (in conjunction with his respective colleagues) to develop and grow Music, Art, Drama, and other Cultural offerings throughout the whole school (from Pre- School to High School levels).

Before that, Mark Stenhouse joined St Alban’s College, in Pretoria as the Director of the Arts in 2018, where he oversaw the growth and development of Music, Art, Drama and Clubs and Societies from 2018-2023. During his tenure there, he also saw the Arts’ Department grow to over 327 of 600 students taking Music, Art and Drama as an Elective / Subject at the College and oversaw the complete development of the Annual St Alban’s College Cultural Festival (which ended up comprising over 17 different Categories in a variety of cultural spheres). In addition, he also started an online National Cultural Festival, which involved a large number of schools from around South Africa. Furthermore, the Chamber Choir, the Barbershop Boys, received a Gold Medal in 2018 at the World Choir Games in Pretoria, South Africa, and were also placed 2nd nationally in the Open Category of the National ATKV Choir Competition in 2019 and 3rd in 2021). In addition to these awards, both the Visual Arts’ and Dramatic Arts’ Departments also received numerous awards and accolades at regional, national and internation levels.

Before this, Mark was Director of Music at St Alban's College from 2000-2008, where he, in conjunction with the music staff, built up the Music Department to include a Chapel Choir (which later received a Silver Medal at the World Choir Games in Graz, Austria), a Chamber Choir called the Barbershop Boys, a Jazz Band, an Orchestra, three Rock Bands, and over 200 students learning instruments at the school.

Thereafter, Mark Stenhouse was appointed as Head of Music at St Anne's Diocesan College in Hilton from 2009-2015, where he, once again, in conjunction with the music staff, built up the Music Department to include a Chapel Choir (which grew from 8 members to over a 100 and which went on to win its respective section at the ATKV National Choir Competition in 2008), a Chamber Choir called the Soul Sisters, a Jazz Band, an Orchestra, three Marimba Bands, and over 170 students learning instruments at the school. Furthermore, the Music Department also went on to receive numerous awards at both regional and national levels.

Thereafter, Mark Stenhouse moved to the United Kingdom, where he supply taught at a number of schools in London, before being appointed as the Director of Music at Reddam House, Berkshire in 2016, Here, he, in conjunction with his colleague, worked tirelessly to develop Music on both the curricular and co-curricular fronts, from the Junior School right through to the Senior School.

Mark Stenhouse also facilitated numerous International Tours for his various Music Ensembles, as well as cross-curricular tours for Music, Art and Drama students at all of his schools, visiting countries such as Argentina, England, France, Germany, Austria, Italy and Russia. In addition tothis, he arranged a number of National Music Conferences in South Africa and was appointed as aNational Practical Music Examiner for the Independent Examination Board (IEB) from 2007-2009and again from 2018-2023).

Mark Stenhouse is passionate about music and enjoys instilling a love of his subject in his students. He firmly believes that music is an integral part of education and that all involved in it should always strive for excellence through enjoyment. He also loves sport, traveling, nature, the outdoors, as well as spending quality time with family and friends.

Mark’s qualifications include: a Bachelor of Music Degree (Honours) (University of Pretoria), Teacher’s Licentiate of Music (University of South Africa) and Higher Education Diploma (University of South Africa).

Dr Lisa Engelbrecht

Dr Lisa Engelbrecht is the Vocal Coach/Répétiteur at OperaUCT under the directorship of Prof Jeremy Silver. Lisa, apart from coaching singing students and lecturing in Lyric Diction (German) at UCT, performs regularly as a vocal accompanist in South Africa and abroad.

She is a member of the teaching faculty at the International Lyric Academy summer program in Vicenza, Italy and is a guest vocal coach at both the Royal Academy and Royal Colleges of Music, London.

Lisa has also worked as coach/répétiteur for the Grange Festival in Hampshire and has regularly coached and played for productions of Cape Town Opera where she was vocal coach/répétiteur on numerous operatic productions before moving on to work at the University of Cape Town.

Similarly, before being appointed as a permanent member of staff at SACM she coached and accompanied rehearsals for many productions as well as accompanied numerous auditions and concerts. She has also been instrumental in putting together fundraising concerts with students and alumni of OperaUCT both locally and in London and regularly puts together concerts with students for various Classical music festivals around the country.

Her educational background includes post graduate study at the Royal College of Music, London (P.G Dip in Advanced Performance Répétiteur), University of Illinois (M. Mus in Vocal Accompaniment) and UCT (D. Mus in Collaborative Performance and Thesis) with apprenticeships at San Francisco Opera (Merola program) and Glimmerglass Opera (New York). She has also worked as vocal coach/accompanist for the Jeunes Voix du Rhìn (Opera National du Rhin), and British Youth Opera. Lisa also trained as a soprano with Emma Renzi and uses that training to add further insight to her vocal coaching skills.

Lisa performs regularly with her students in Mauritius where, under the auspices of the Société Musicale, she also conducts Masterclasses with singers on the island. Lisa, as pianist and soprano, is also part of a classical vocal duo “The Opera Angels” with British mezzo soprano, Lindsay Thomson, established in 2019.

Lisa also collaborates as vocal coach/pianist/choral trainer in projects with SA Operatunity, a non-profit Cape Town based organization, which creates training and performance opportunities for singers based in the townships.

Brett Udal

Renowned music educator and performer Brett Udal has launched an exciting new venture in 2025 with the founding of Soundscapes Music Academy, in partnership with St. Mary's DSG in KwaZulu-Natal. This marks a new chapter following Brett's 18-year tenure at Hilton College, where he served as Director of Music and, most recently, Academic Subject Head of Music until the end of 2024.

With a teaching career spanning more than two decades, Brett is known for his innovation and leadership in music education. He has held key positions at St. Stithians Boys' College, Beaulieu College, and Hilton College, where he pioneered digital portfolios and practical-based curricula, and led the design of the Chamberlain Music Centre, completed in 2022.

As an accomplished violinist, Brett has performed with major orchestras including the KwaZulu-Natal and Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestras, and is a Yamaha-endorsed electric violinist performing across classical and contemporary genres. He is also an experienced adjudicator, having served on panels for the South African Society of Music Teachers (SASMT) Eisteddfod and the Queensburgh Music Eisteddfod.

Soundscapes Music Academy embodies Brett's vision to build a vibrant, inclusive space for music education, performance, and community collaboration in the Upper Highway region and beyond.