Stellenbosch Guitar Quartet
Formed in 2019, the Stellenbosch Guitar Quartet has performed as part of the sold-out production Landscapes for Guitar at the 2020 Woordfees, “delivering a high-energy blend of virtuosity, evocative and sensuous lyricism and imaginative programming resulting in a thrilling new way to experience chamber music in the 21st century”. Recent performances include a sold-out performance of Recuerdos de España at the 2022 Classics for All Festival as well as a sold-out performance of Brava Guitarra! at the Johnman concert series.
SGQ Members:
Nina Fourie-Gouws completed both her Bachelor and Masters in Music Performance degrees at the University of Pretoria and also received a Licentiate in Classical Guitar Teaching from the University of South Africa. In 2012 Fourie-Gouws obtained her Postgraduate in Music Performance with distinction from the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town. She is the first guitarist to receive these honours cum laude. Hailed as “one of South Africa’s top-performing artists” (Art of Guitar), Fourie-Gouws maintains an active concert schedule throughout Southern Africa. She has performed as a featured solo artist in the 2021 Woordfees edition on DSTV, guest artist on Kyknet’s Draadloos as well as a featured artist at the Volterra Guitar Project, in Italy. Since 2013 Nina Fourie-Gouws has been a guitar lecturer at Stellenbosch Konservatorium where she teaches pre-undergraduate, undergraduate and postgraduate practical music studies, accompaniment, repertoire studies and teaching methodology.
South African Polish classical guitarist and former Wits guitar lecturer, Michal George, obtained his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, a Masters of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music in Ohio and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Psychology from the University of South Africa. He has performed as a soloist with several orchestras, including the Transvaal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Wits Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his life, Michal George has earned numerous awards for his musical achievements with the classical guitar, including the University of Witwatersrand’s Pierre du Toit Guitar Prize in 1993, the First Prize in the National Guitar Competition of the Classical Guitar Society of South Africa the following year, the Silver Medal in the 1996 Forte Competition, as well as the Cleveland Institute of Music’s Rosilia Ablan Memorial Prize and Alumni Association Valedictory Prize both in 1999. Recently, Michal has studied the art of mindfulness meditation as well as Buddhist-based psychology, conducting meditation courses throughout South Africa and Europe involving presence and awareness techniques applicable in the field of music.
Brent January obtained his Bachelor of Music degree from Stellenbosch University under the tutelage of Nina Fourie-Gouws. He has been awarded the first prize in the 2017 ATKV Albert Engel bursary competition for excellence in music, the 2020 Classical Sounds music bursary by Klassieke Klanke, a concert series in Helderberg South Africa, and has recently been selected as a recipient of the Turning the Tide Andrew W. Mellon Foundation scholarship for Masters study. In 2020 he was selected to take part in the Guitar Foundation of America Mentorship Program, where he had the opportunity to study with Grammy-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux. Brent January has also performed with various ensembles at the prestigious SU Woordfees Arts Festival, including the Stellenbosch University Guitar Quartet and Stellenbosch University Big Band under the direction of Felica Lesch. As an electric guitarist he has released the 2019 Album, In Tune with The Infinite, with the New Voice Sextet.
South African Canadian guitarist Marius Otto began formal music education and classical guitar in 2018 at the Certificate Program presented at Stellenbosch Konservatorium and is currently a final BMus student, specialising in music performance, at the Stellenbosch University. In 2018 Marius was nominated for the ATKV Albert Engel Bursary competition and won the Karen Maritz prize for musical excellence. In 2020 he was a finalist in the Mabel quick competition. Marius Otto has performed in several Stellenbosch lunch hour and guitar department concerts, as a soloist a the Hugo Lambrecht Music Centre as well as a featured solo artist at the 2021 Stellenbosch Konservatorium Guitar Festival. After completing his BMus studies he plans to obtain his Master’s degree in classical guitar performance abroad.
Recuerdos de España
Stellenbosch Guitar Quartet and acclaimed Flamenco dancer Che Adams combine artistic forces in Recuerdos de España. This visually and auditory captivating production pays homage to Spanish guitar music’s rich history and influence, taking audiences on an exciting musical journey through an expansive array of genres, continents and time periods, featuring works for guitar quartet, solo classical guitar, and flamenco dance.
One of the highlights of the 2022 Classics for All Festival! What an honor to work with pro’s like you.
Coenie Visser (Classics for All festival director)
It was the group’s virtuoso performance of Cuban Landscape with Rain by modern composer Leo Brouwer that turned out to be a musical experience of a lifetime.
Elaine Davie, Village News
My favourite performance from the festival!
Margeaux Laurie Dippenaar
Brava Guitarra!
The Stellenbosch Guitar Quartet is proud to present Brava Guitarra! This exciting programme pays homage to the rich history of the classical guitar, taking audiences on an exciting musical journey through an expansive array of genres, continents and time periods. Formed in 2019, the Stellenbosch Guitar Quartet has performed as part of the sold-out production Landscapes for Guitar at the 2020 Woordfees, “delivering a high-energy blend of virtuosity, evocative and sensuous lyricism and imaginative programming resulting in a thrilling new way to experience chamber music in the 21st century”. Recent performances include a sold-out performance of Recuerdos de España at the 2022 Classics for All Festival as well as a sold-out performance of Brava Guitarra! at the Johnman concert series.
Dear Nina, Michal, Brent and Marius The warmth and enjoyment of your lovely performance yesterday evening still lingered in the Voorkamer at 19 Herte Street long after the audience departed. A few of us stayed gathered around the fire, to discuss how much joy Dorothy and Charles Johnman would have experienced at the knowledge that their dreams were being given life by your presence, adding to the harmonious vibrations that were left to settle quietly into the ancient beams and walls to become part of the memories of that place. That may sound romantic, but your performance was all of the above! Thank you for crafting such a wonderfully uplifting experience. One of the advantages of the intimate setting of the Johnman venue is the sense of closeness and contact between audience and performers. What was striking to me was that every member of the audience seemed to be totally absorbed in the experience. At the same time, it was unique to be able to observe so closely the interaction between the performers, the note-by-note sensitivity towards one another as you created the rain drop as just one example. So, a huge thank you for sharing your love of your instruments and their music that flows from your hearts. We certainly hope that you will be willing to bring another programme to a future Johnman Concert so that we and others who support you can closely share the excitement of watching your professional success go from strength to strength. With warm appreciation and good wishes David JL Taylor Chairman The Dorothy and Charles Johnman Education Trust
