10.04.2015  John Antoniadis, one of South Africa’s leading piano pedagogues, passed away at his home in Somerset West on April 8 at the age of 73.

He was born on May 15, 1941 in Gweru, Zimbabwe and studied at the Royal Academy in London with Harold Craxton and Denis Matthews. Later on he studied with the famous pianist, Claudio Arrau in New York. However, due to being diagnosed with MS in 1969, he stopped performing in public after his last recital at the Royal Scottish Academy.

Antoniadis accepted a post as piano lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch in 1969 and taught piano to many well-known South African pianists and musicians until he officially retired in 1996. Acama Fick, Bennie van Eeden, Elna van der Merwe, Zorada Temmingh, Rachelle Jonck, Tertia Visser-Downie and Liezel Maret Jacobs count amongst his many students.

His former colleagues and students remember him fondly as a highly regarded and internationally known pianist and as a teacher who had a great gift to communicate the composers’ wish to his students.

Antoniadis is survived by his sister, Lassie Kallos. His wife, Lona, passed away in 2007.

A funeral service will be held at 11h00 on April 20 in the United Church in Stellenbosch.

A concert in his honour will be held at 16h30 on June 14 in the Endler Hall in Stellenbosch.

Click HERE to read an interview with John Antoniadis by Tertia Visser Downie published in July 2012.