Jacques-Pierre Malan matriculated - with two distinctions in music - from Pretoria Boys’ High School in 2005.  In 2006 he enrolled for a BMus degree at the University of Pretoria, majoring in cello. In the last few years he has won several top prizes in South Africa, including the ABSA competition category prize (2004); the Pretorium Trust Bursary for four consecutive years (2006-2009); Rhona Lubner Prize overall winner (2006); Philip Moore Competition overall winner (2006); UNISA Grade 8 Scholarship Competition overall winner (2008); ATKV Muziq Competition Strings category winner (2008); ATKV Muziq overall winner (2009); UNISA National String Competition: Bach prize, Beethoven prize and the prize for the best recital in the cello category (2009).

While still studying, Jacques-Pierre performed Elgar’s Cello Concerto (1st movement) as part of the annual Youth Concerto Festival of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (2008) and the Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations with the South African National Youth Orchestra and KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra (2007 and 2008 respectively).

In 2007 he attended the Apeldoorn master classes for Chamber Music in the Netherlands, receiving tuition from British cellist Colin Carr and French violinist Philippe Graffin, amongst others. He also attended the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival from 2007-2010 and was selected as leader of the cello section in 2008. Between 2006 and 2009 Jacques-Pierre was leader of the cello section in the Symphony Orchestra of the University of Pretoria and is also a sought after chamber musician.

In South Africa, Jacques-Pierre has received tuition from Heleen du Plessis, Anzél Gerber, Tilla Henkins, Dalena Roux and Berthine van Schoor. He also attended numerous master classes with world-renowned musicians, including Gary Hoffman (France); Jerome Pernoo (France); Daniel Roland (Netherland); Eugene Osadchy (Russia/US); Morten Zeuthen (Germany); Ivry Gtilis (Israel); Philippe Graffin (France) and Colin Carr (UK), many of whom had high expectations for his future career.

Jacques-Pierre was recently accepted at the Peabody Institute of the University of John Hopkins in Baltimore (United States) where he will enroll for a Graduate Performance Diploma.  He will commence his studies in August 2010 under the tutelage of Professor Amit Peled. The main focus of the course is on performance, majoring in orchestral, chamber but particularly solo performance.