Carl van Wyk
Carl van Wyk (1942-). Composer.
Contents
Biography
Carl van Wyk, born in Cape Town.
Training
He was educated at the JC Meiring Hoërskool in Goodwood where he studied piano with Ivy Parkin. He later continued his piano studies under Harold Rubens and Virginia Fortescue.
He commenced undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town. He graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1964 and completed his Master of Music degree in 1965. He was awarded an Overseas scholarship from the South African Music Rights Organisation’s (SAMRO) to study with British composer Alan Bush at the Royal Academy of Music in London. During that time his orchestral work, "Petrusa Variations", won both the Manson and West awards for composition. Following his year abroad, van Wyk returned to South Africa and worked toward his Doctorate of Music degree (completed in 1971).
Career
In 1965, he received a symphonic commission from the Cape Performing Arts Board. His work, Derivations won the composer’s competition of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in 1966.
After an initial appointment at the University of Port Elizabeth, Dr. van Wyk joined the staff of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in 1976 as Senior Lecturer in Music Theory. In 1991 he was appointed Head of the University’s School of Music, serving in this capacity through 1996. He headed the Music Theory and composition program until December 2000.
Carl van Wyk has worked as Theory and Composition Teacher at the Suzuki Music Institute of Dallas since 2002.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
His folk opera, Fiela's Child, was premiered in September 1993 at the School of Music of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Sources
https://www.musicinafrica.net/directory/dr-carl-van-wyk
Avril Kinsey. 2009. 'Music for classical guitar by South African composers'. Unpublished Masters thesis. University of Cape Town.
https://www.suzukimusicdallas.org/dr-carl-van-wyke.html#/
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