You recently won the Len van Zyl conductors competition in Cape Town and you are now doing an internship the USA under Victor Yampolski for 10 weeks. What does your day look like in Chicago?
Well, in Chicago I’ll be studying at the Northwestern University under Maestro Victor Yampolski for 2 months. My days will be occupied from 10am-4pm every day. I’ll be working with the Lab orchestra which consists of students and student conductors.

Would you describe yourself as an ambitious person - if one looks at your CV it is hard to imagine that you are not.
I am indeed!

What drives you?
What drives me the most are all the bad and good things that have happened in my life? I went through a painful operation at the age of 23 where I lost one of my kidneys, which meant I had to stay in hospital for two weeks over Christmas. In the past 3 years I lost my dad to a sudden heart attack, my grandfather passed away the following year one of my close teachers the year after. So the three people that where my pillars in life were gone.  I suddenly had to now stand on my own feet and help and support my family while still pushing myself in my career. I think of them and God to motivate me musically. A good thing happened last year.  I finally had the courage to ask the co-principle clarinetist on a date and we have been dating for 11 months now. She was part of my motivation for the competition, as well with family support.

Do you think conductors need to be extroverts?
Indeed. Conductors have to be a people’s-person and need to be well-educated. When you work with the orchestra you have to energies them and guide them. Leadership and communication plays an important role.

The fact that you can play 13 instruments must be of great value for you as a conductor?
Yes it is a benefit for me because I can give some advice if a musician is having problems with a certain passage. Especially when working with young people, it tends to be a great help knowing a bit about each instrument.

Are you a musician with conducting aspirations OR a conductor with musician’s aspirations?
A bit of both.

Do you come from a musical family?
Well, my grandfather played piano in the navy many moons ago - so, yes we are a very musical family! My eldest brother Gavin plays the cello, second eldest Ashley the oboe and my dad played a bit of guitar. I taught my mum to play the viola.

How did you manage to do all the practising for all the instruments that you learnt to play? You must have had very patient siblings?
When I started with music my brothers had gone through a few instruments already, so the access to the instruments was there. My father was very strict about school work and I had to work very hard in the week. Over the weekend I would unpack all the instruments in front of me and practise each one. When my lips got tired of the trumpet, I would go onto the violin etc…That took place in the garage. The neighbours enjoyed it!

Did you have time for anything else - sports, reading, etc? Or were you so dedicated that not much else interested you?On Sundays I used to play sport after church - soccer, cricket and table tennis.

You started out by playing the trumpet in the New Apostolic Church orchestra and went on to master 13 instruments, with bassoon as first and violin as second instruments. After taking lessons at Beau Soleil Music Centre you went on to complete a diploma in orchestral studies and an honours degree in conducting at UCT. In 2004 you started conducting the CPO Youth Orchestra. Was this when you first shifted your focus to conducting?
I started at the age of 12. I did conducting in the church as well so conducting was always something I enjoyed. The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra outreach and education manager, Henriette Weber, always motivated me when I worked with the youth orchestra. Thanks to her I could constantly conduct. Whenever I have worked with the orchestra I have gained more insight and had some major eye-opening experiences. It definitely helped me to focus more on conducting. Over the past 3 years I have received some master classes from Victor Yampolski for one week every year, when he comes to work with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.

You have been principal bassoon player for the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra since 2009. Did you ever have aspirations to become a soloist?
I have performed as a soloist with the CPO and Cape Town University Orchestra and will do some solo recitals when I get back to South Africa. It’s good to have experience in practicing chamber music, orchestra and solo playing.

Which work would you most like to conduct?
The Mozart Requiem – my most favourite work ever!

Which conductors do you most admire?
Ricardo Mutti, Arjan Tien and Victor Yampolski, among others.

If you had to choose between being a solo musician or a conductor, would it be a hard choice? Which one would you choose?
I would always want to do both, conduct and play chamber music or be in an orchestra.