Taffanel Trio

Taffanel Trio

The Taffanel Trio explores the available repertoire for flute, clarinet and piano, and commissions new works for this combination. They are based in Stellenbosch, South Africa, and have presented concerts since 2009.

By choice of name the ‘Taffanel Trio’ remembers Paul Taffanel (1844-1908), Parisian flutist, composer, conductor and flute teacher who, in 1879, founded a society for chamber music by wind players (‘Société de musique de chambre pour instruments à vent’). This society revived the performance of wind music (e.g. by Mozart and Beethoven), and requested and performed new commissions for wind players which resulted in compositions by Charles Gounod, Charles Lefebvre and Gabriel Pierné, amongst others. The present trio, situated on the southern African continent, continues to celebrate the new and the old; novelty and tradition. To date they have premièred a duo by Paul Loeb van Zuilenburg (2009), a trio by Hendrik Hofmeyr (2011, commissioned by SAMRO), and they will première a trio by Alexander Johnson in October 2013 (commissioned by SAMRO). Their repertoire includes compositions by Bottesini, Debussy, Schmitt, Emmanuel, Koechlin, Arnold, Shostakovich, Grundman, De Klerk, Kuri-Aldana and Larsen, as well as duos by Jolivet, Rutter and Villa-Lobos.

Musicians of the Taffanel Trio

Marietjie Pauw (flute) received flute tuition from Éva Tamássy at the University of Stellenbosch, where she was awarded the degrees B.Mus, B.Mus(Hons) and MMus (Performance), cum laude. She obtained the Licentiates in Flute Performance (UPLM) and in Flute Teaching (UTLM) from the University of South Africa in 1991. At present she is enrolled as a PhD student at Stellenbosch University. During visits overseas she took a course with Ann Cherry (London) and summer master classes with Patricia Spencer and Keith Underwood (New York). She teaches flute at schools in the Stellenbosch area, including the Johnman School of Music. She plays in chamber music groups and presents programmes that include contemporary and South African music. With ensembles such as “Collage” (1997-), and the “Taffanel Trio” (2009-) she and members of these ensembles have obtained commissions through SAMRO and Distell, resulting in new compositions and arrangements from composers such as Hendrik Hofmeyr, Roelof Temmingh, Neo Muyanga, Paul Loeb van Zuilenburg, Andile Khumalo, Alexander Johnson and Nigerian composer Christian Onyeji. These chamber groups have performed in the Western Cape, as well as on the ‘main’ festivals of the Oudtshoorn Klein Karoo National Arts Festival and the Grahamstown National Arts Festival.

Annamarie Bam (clarinet) graduated with degrees in B.Mus and B.Mus(Hons) from the University of the Free State, South Africa, having taken lessons with Harold Strebel in Cape Town and Heinrich Armer in Bloemfontein. She was the overall winner of the ATKV Forte competition and won the overseas scholarship for Performer’s Licentiate from the Royal Schools of Music. She continued her studies at the Royal Academy in London under John Davies, Richard Addison and Antony Pay and also attended master classes by Karl Leister in London and Guy Deplus in Nice. Her orchestral experience began at an early age in Bloemfontein where she joined various wind bands and also the PACOFS Orchestra as an ad hoc member. She was principal clarinet of the S.A. National Youth Orchestra for four consecutive years. When she returned from London, she joined the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra as sub-principal clarinet and was later promoted to co-principal. In 1992 she took up a full-time teaching position at the Musicon in Bloemfontein and rejoined PACOFS. Annamarie is also an experienced chamber musician. She teaches privately at home and at the Johnman School in Stellenbosch and began a recorder school (the Little Crickets) for young children in 2005. She recently also took up a part-time lectureship at the Stellenbosch University music department where she teaches courses in clarinet teaching didactics and clarinet literature.

Benjamin van Eeden (piano) obtained the degrees B.Mus and B.Mus(Hons.), as well as the Music Teaching Diploma (ODMS), all cum laude, from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. He also obtained a licentiate in Music Performance from the University of South Africa (UPLM) and a performance diploma from the Trinity Examining Board (LTCL). He received numerous prizes including the Conservatorium Stipendium and the Merit Award for overall best fourth year student. He was a student of Betsie Cluver and undertook post-graduate studies with Lamar Crowson, Laura Searle (UCT) and John Antoniadis (US). Under Antoniadis he participated in international competitions in Pretoria and Bolzano, Italy, and completed the practical requirements for a master’s degree in Piano Performance (cum laude). Benjamin van Eeden is a recitalist, chamber musician and accompanist and has worked with leading South African singers such as Aviva Pelham, Nellie du Toit, André Howard and Marita Napier. He has been an examiner for UNISA, and is a founder member of the National Hennie Joubert Piano Competition. He lectures in piano and piano literature at Stellenbosch University.

Webpage updated 22 May 2013

Contact Person:
Marietjie Pauw
City/Town:
Stellenbosch
Phone:
+27 (0)21 887 0488
Mobile:
+27 (0)72 250 7476
Email:
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