Magda de Vries

Bio

Magda de Vries started percussion at the age of 15, and within a few years won a number of South African music prizes and national scholarships. Two of the most prestigious South African overseas music scholarships were awarded to her enabling her to pursue postgraduate studies in percussion as the first foreign student at the Tokyo College of Music under Professor Atsushi Sugahara.
While in Japan, she was invited to join Percussion Museum (resident percussion ensemble in Tokyo), made her solo recital debut, received a Tokyo College of Music study grant and obtained a postgraduate diploma cum laude.

Work in the UK (2000 – 2003) include a UK-France concert tour with Ensemble Bash; CD recordings with Errollyn Wallen and Continuum Ensemble; workshops run by Ensemble Bash, Sinfonia 21, spnm; performing with a variety of groups including Premiere Crew, Modern Band and ESO at various venues, including Australia House (London), Purcell Room (London South Bank Centre), King’s College (Cambridge) Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and Linbury Studio Theatre (Royal Opera Covent Garden).

As orchestral percussionist, Magda has worked with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra (Tokyo), attended the 2000 Festival de Musica de Canarias as member of the former Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, and currently regularly works with all major South African orchestras.

She won first prize in the Performing Australian Music Competition in London and was subsequently featured as guest soloist on BBC3 In Tune.
In 2003 she was invited to perform at St John’s Smith Square in London, and appeared on invitation of the Australian High Commissioner as guest artist at the Australia Day celebrations in London.

In the same year she made her debut recital in London’s Purcell Room, returned to Tokyo to perform a series of solo, ensemble and orchestral concerts.

In 2003 she formed Duo FourIVTwo with South Africa’s most acclaimed vibraphonist, Frank Mallows. The duo has performed with great success throughout South Africa.

Magda has performed several world premiéres including works by Errollyn Wallen, Peter Klatzow and Robert Fokkens.

Magda has performed solo concerti with the former NSO, CAPAB, CPO, ECPO, JFO, JPO as well as COSA.

In 2005 she formed Acoustic Moodz featuring David Houghton on guitar and as composer. The duo, often expanding to a trio or quartet, has performed to great acclaim at the ZK Matthews Auditorium, University of Johannesburg, Classic fM Soirees as well as the Johannesburg Country Club.

In 2006 Magda was invited to perform once again as concerto soloist with COSA and was one of the featured soloists at the RMB Starlight Classics, performing the world premiére of Mozart for Marimba, arranged especially for her.

In 2007 she performed Bartok’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion with the JPO. Her most recent concerto performance was Karl Jenkins' marimba concerto, La Folia (2010).

As recording artist, she is featured on CDs by Claire Johnston, Denzil Weale, Hannelie Rupert, Duo FourIVTwo and Acoustic Moodz.

Magdalena currently works as freelance percussionist and lectures in percussion at the University of Pretoria.

ZAJohannesburg, South Africa

Contact

Magda de Vries
Profile added by SAMRO FOUNDATION on 09 Jan 2015
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