Antoni Schonken

Antoni Schonken was born in 1987 and raised in Mossel Bay, South Africa. At Stellenbosch University he studied piano with Bennie van Eeden, recorder with Karin Maritz and composition with Hans Roosenschoon. He was awarded his BMus cum laude in 2009, BMus (Hons) cum laude in 2011 and MMus cum laude in 2013. He is currently studying for his PhD.

Antoni's compositions, which display elements of minimalism, impressionism and indigenous Southern African styles, have received critical acclaim. His choral works exhibit an unabashed romanticism influenced by contemporary American and Eastern European composers.

Antoni has received commissions from various professional ensembles and institutions, including the South African Holocaust Project and the Stellenbosch University Soloists Choir. His vocal ensemble, Acastella, has received international acclaim for its work in serious and popular music and in 2013 was invited as guest choir to the international Russian choral festival, The Singing World. In 2014 Antoni was awarded the prestigious SAMRO Overseas Scholarship.