Pianist Francois du Toit in the spotlight

Pianist Francois du Toit in the spotlight

South African pianist Fraincois du Toit will be performing as soloist with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in their imminent seasons. By popular demand we rerun this interview with him, originally published in July 2010.

Associate Professor of Piano and Head of Chamber Music at the University of Cape Town, Francois du Toit, is known and acknowledged as one of South Africa’s finest pianists, chamber musicians and educators.

Where do you hail from and where did you spend your childhood years? Or as the Afrikaners would say, ‘van watter Du Toits is jy nou eintlik’?

I was born in East London (South Africa that is!), but moved to Cape Town when I was two years old. I grew up in the Southern Suburbs where I also went to school and attended the University of Cape Town for my undergraduate and Honours degrees. “My pa kom van die Paarl se “Du Toits” en as my voorsate nie so finansieel dom was nie, sou ek ‘n boer gewees het op ‘n wynplaas in die distrik!”

How were you first introduced to the piano and what made you ‘stick’ with it?

My elder sister, Sue, played the piano and I essentially cut my teeth on the side of the upright (the marks are there to prove it!) watching her play.  At about the age of 4 I started picking out tunes by ear and about the age of six my parents decided that perhaps I should start to learn to read music.  My first teacher told them that I wouldn’t amount to much, which subsequently spurred me on to start practising. A few years later, I played in the Cape Town Eisteddfod and after winning my first money prize, dollar signs lit up in my eyes and I REALLY started to practice! Seriously though, I always had a great love for music and would listen to classical music late into the night on my old LP player.

Your first appearance with an orchestra was at the young age of fifteen. Where, with what orchestra, what did you play? Any specific memory about this experience that stands out to this day?

This was with the CAPAB orchestra in their Youth Festival. David Tidboald was the conductor and the concerto I played was the Beethoven 1st Piano Concerto. Memory from this was that it was exhilarating.

Then, as music student at UCT, you were selected, with Steven de Groote, to tour the Republic of China with the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra. Your first experience abroad? And how much of a ‘big deal’ was it for you at the time?

This was an enormous privilege for me to be selected to play with the orchestra.  It was my first trip ever overseas and was also a wonderful chance to get to know Steven de Groote.  He unfortunately passed away less than a year later.  The piece that I played was the Tchaikovsky 1st Piano Concerto, and it has gone on to be possibly the concerto which I have performed the most in my career.  It remains one of my favourites.

You received your early music training from the distinguished Cape Town pianist and teacher, Laura Searle before continuing your studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover, Germany, with renowned pedagogue Arie Vardi and Berndt Goetzke. Which one teacher had the most profound influence on your career and why?

I have to say that every teacher that I have had, has inspired me on different levels.  Laura Searle had undoubtedly one of the greatest influences on me.  She was a superb musician, a consummate teacher and a wonderful mentor.  She also left me with no doubt to the difficulties of being a concert pianist, yet she was wonderfully supportive of me and my career.  Everything I learnt about sound at the piano, is due to Laura.  My studies overseas were one long journey into discovering the different essence of the different style periods and that together with the exposure to so many other good pianists and concerts, broadened my conception of music making at the piano.  Goetzke brought to life for me the wonderful world of music in the Baroque and Classical periods.

As a teacher yourself - first at the University of Potchefstroom and now at UCT - what is the one message you aim to get across to students?

To develop their all round musicianship and to make them self sufficient. They must realise that they will never stop learning and that experience of life and music making is all one and the same.

Solo recital, ensemble or orchestral playing, which do you favour and why?

I have always enjoyed concerto performances, probably because I have been lucky enough to have had so many opportunities. I view concerto playing as ensemble playing and not a soloist with an orchestra in the background.

You are a member of the UCT Trio, with cellist Anmarie van der Westhuisen and violinist Farida Bacharova, and recently established the Ixopo Piano Duo with fellow UCT piano tutor, Franklin Larey. What was the motivation behind forming this Duo? What does Ixopo mean and what’s the significance of the name?

Actually the Ixopo Duo was formed in 1997 already. The name Ixopo is a word that we chose because we liked the South African connotation. It actually depicts the sound of the cattle’s hooves in the mud. Franklin and myself found an automatic understanding when we played our first concert together and ever since then we really love playing together and have a lot of fun doing it. The UCT Trio still exists, but no longer with Anmarie as she has moved to Bloemfontein. The cellist is now Christian Chiernev.

Do you have any pre-performance rituals and if so, what are they?

Nothing except prayer!

Do you still maintain a rigorous practice schedule?

No, am shocking at this, but sometimes the teaching takes the energy away from practising. My most productive periods of practising are in the holidays (only when there is no world cup / wimbledon)

You are constantly in demand as accompanist for international visiting artists, most recently Julian Lloyd-Weber. Could you name a few, any significant experience or celebrity “skinner”? 

Philippe Quint was very entertaining. I had to sometimes provide the getaway car from hordes of screaming girls for him. I have accompanied so many artists, I cannot really think of any major mishaps. I’ve always seemed to get along well with them.

Any CD releases in the upcoming future?

Yes, I am planning on recording over the December holidays for the Two Pianists Label, which has recently been granted world wide distribution by Naxos. I am also recording a CD of two piano works and duets of South African composers with Franklin Larey in November.

Your programme with the JPO includes Dvorak, Mozart & Haydn. Could you expand on the choice of programme and your personal preference in music?

I can honestly say that I have no preferences for composers. I enjoy every composer that I am working on at that time. The choice of programme for concertos is usually dependent on the Orchestra management and that was the case with the Mozart Concerto.

Outside the classical music sphere, what does Francois enjoy spending time on?

I am an avid reader, enjoy the outdoors and also have a serious interest in financial markets and the economy.  Besides that I enjoy spending time with my dog, my partner and my friends, in that order!

Published 20 July 2010
Interview by Mari Stimie

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