03.03.2016  The Odeion School of Music has welcomed Dr Grethe Nöthling as a new member of its performance faculty. She has been appointed as principal piano lecturer.

Nöthling started her musical career at the tender age of five and has won several national music competitions. She is also the recipient of numerous awards and bursaries, including the UNISA overseas scholarship for teachers in 2003.

From 1989 to 2005, Grethe concertized as soloist with all major South African Symphony Orchestras. She obtained the Bachelors of Music Degree, specialising in Performance (magna summa cum laude) from the University of Pretoria under the tutelage of revered South African piano lecturers, Professors Ella Fourie and Joseph Stanford.

She furthered her studies in the United States of America at the esteemed Cleveland Institute of Music where she received a Master’s of Music Degree in 2008 under the guidance of Daniel Shapiro and Paul Schenly. In addition Nöthling also received tuition and master classes from Andrejz Jasinski, Eric Larsen, Joseph Banowetz, Rebecca Penneys, Christopher Harding and Enrico Elisi.

Grethe obtained the Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree (2014) from the University of Iowa in the United States under the tutelage of Prof Uriel Tsachor. Her final dissertation is entitled “A performance guide to Arnold Van Wyk’s early solo piano compositions”.During her studies at the University of Iowa she was awarded a teaching assistantship and performed with the University of Iowa New Music Ensemble. During her ten-year residency in the USA, she has performed extensively as soloist and chamber musician.

Says Grethe, “It is my hope to be an inspiration for young and upcoming musicians both as pedagogue and performing artist. In order to consider the unique gifts and challenges of every individual student, I am of the opinion that is imperative to be very flexible and adjustable from a methodological and musical perspective. A solid and well developed technique remains the corner stone for any performing artist. It is important for me to advocate and contribute towards the development and survival of the arts in South Africa”.

Listen to Grethe Nöthling on OSM SOUNDCLOUD:

Etude op.10 no.5 (G-Flat major) by Frédéric Chopin
https://soundcloud.com/odeion-school-of-music/etude-op10-no5-g-flat-major-by-frederic-chopin

Trois mouvements de Petrouchka by Igor Stravinsky
1 Danse Russe
https://soundcloud.com/odeion-school-of-music/petrouchka-danse-russe-by-igor-stravinsky
2 Chez Petrouchka 3 La semaine grasse
https://soundcloud.com/odeion-school-of-music/trois-mouvements-de-petrouchka-by-igor-stravinsky-2-chez-petrouchka-3-la-semaine-grasse

Sonata op 18 in F # major by Ludwig von Beethoven
https://soundcloud.com/odeion-school-of-music/sonata-op-18-in-f-major-by-ludwig-von-beethoven