Tertia Visser-Downie is an accomplished South African pianist who studied under national and international piano masters John Antoniadis, and London-based Martino Tirimo after winning the prestigious Mabel Quick Scholarship.

She completed her Honours degree in music at the University of Stellenbosch, as well as achieving the Unisa Performers’ and Teachers’ Licentiates, with distinction in both qualifications. 

Performing numerous solo recitals in South Africa and internationally, Tertia has featured with various orchestras and appeared at events such as the Cape Town Pops Series with the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra, playing Rachmaninov and Gershwin. 

Tertia regularly gets invited as an official accompanist at national music competitions and regularly accompanies talented and award winning musicians at various events and concerts.  She was one of the the official accompanists at the UNISA International String Competition in 2010, accompanying Yura Lee (violin), the overall winner.

During 2009, she joined renowned poet Philip de Vos on a national tour to bring masterpieces “Pictures at an exhibition” by Modest Mussorgsky and Kinderscenen by Schumann to stage, radio and television.

With diverse talent and creativity, in 2008 Tertia took the leading female role in Pieter Dirk-Uys’ play, Appassionata, and performed the Beethoven Sonata with the same name.

Tertia has produced a number of her own CDs as well as establishing and managing her ‘Tots in Tune’ program designed to introduce classical music to young toddlers. She also released a CD with well-known cellist Marian Lewin at the end of 2009.

She is a part time lecturer in piano at the South African College of Music in Cape Town.