Robert Fokkens

Robert Fokkens (1975-) is a composer.

Biography

Robert Fokkens was born in Port Elizabeth in 1975.

Training

He studied the violin from the age of 9, completing his studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT) under Jurgen Schwietering. He also studied voice from the age of 17 with Brad Liebl and later with Ian Partridge. He was educated at Rondebosch Boys High School.

He completed all his degrees with distinction, achieving a BMus (1998), BMus(Hons) (1999) in composition and analysis from UCT, and an MMus (2001) in composition from the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) (2001). Soon afterwards he was awarded the Manson Fellowship from the RAM. Between 1995 and 2001 Fokkens took master classes in conducting with Berhard Gueller, Jorge Mester and Patrick Russill. He completed his PhD in composition at the University of Southampton (2007) under the supervision of Professor Michael Finnissy.

Career

While completing his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, Fokkens lectured and tutored part-time in Music Education (UCT), and part-time in Composition, historical topics, and Harmony and Counterpoint at UCT and the University of Southampton. He currently teaches composition and academic music studies at Trinity Junior. He has been a visiting lecturer (teaching Composition and lecturing on music) at UCT, the University of Stellenbosch, North-West University (Potchefstroom), the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the University of Pretoria.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

He composed the short opera, The Application, presented as part of Four:30 – Operas Made in South Africa (2015) by Cape Town Opera and UCT Opera School.

Awards

Amongst his most prestigious awards are a South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) Undergraduate Bursary and the SAMRO Overseas Scholarship for Composers (1st prize in the national competition for composition). The SAMRO Overseas Scholarship for Composers was renewed three times (the only third renewal in the 40-year history of the scholarship). Fokkens also received a National Arts Council of South Africa award and the Jules Kramer Music and Fine Arts Bursary (UCT) for international study. In the United Kingdom he was awarded a bursary by the Overseas Research Countess of Munster Musical Trust, an Overseas Research Scheme scholarship, a bursary from the Royal Academy of Music, and the University of Southampton Major Studentship for doctoral studies.

Sources

Avril Kinsey. 2009. 'Music for classical guitar by South African composers'. Unpublished Masters thesis. University of Cape Town.

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