About Us

Chairman

Riaan van Wyk

Riaan is a founder member and chairman of the WindWorx Symphonic Wind Ensemble has been involved with the wind band movement for almost 40 years.

Starting at school level where he launched his first ensemble and studied the flute and saxophone, he continued at the Stellenbosch University Symphonic Wind Ensemble while obtaining degrees in Accounting.  After 14 years at Stellenbosch, the need arose for a post-graduate wind ensemble which was founded in 2001 with the late Mervyn Solomon at the helm. This was the forerunner of WindWorx for which has been playing baritone-sax for the last 17 years.

Riaan enjoys and has been involved at wind band grass roots by coaching the Bellville High School Symphonic Wind Band since 2007, taking them to winning acclaims at local and national Eisteddfod and competitions.

To further the wind band movement he launched the WindWorx Fanfare in 2010 where hundreds of young players participate every year. He also adjudicates the Christmas Band competitions on an annual basis.

In recent years Riaan launched the SmallConcerts initiative which supports smaller and non-mainstream classical events. This includes wind band coaching, placement of players, recording and publishing of concerts and musical direction of various genres.

He has conducted the Stellenbosch University Band multiple times and is also involved in the Malay Choir movement and classical-pop scene. To ensure he had a well-founded base for conducting, in particular, he attended conducting clinics with the likes of Sean Kierman (WindWorx), Garreth Williams (NMU) and international visiting conductors Phil Golson, Richard Fischer and Rik Ghesquière.

Riaan obtained his master’s degree in project management from UCT and is currently working in the IT industry.

Deputy Chair

Pamela Kierman

Pamela graduated with a BMus from the University of Port Elizabeth (1983) and MMus (2009) from Stellenbosch University.

She worked with Children’s Theatre and the RAD Ballet as arranger and accompanist, played French horn in the Prince Alfred’s Guard Band and was principal horn of the former-CAPAB orchestra in Port Elizabeth.

She was the brass teacher at Alexander Road High School, Port Elizabeth (1986-1987) and Hoërskool Voortrekker, Cape Town (1987 – 1989).  She was instrumental in the upgrading of the SACC Band, Wynberg (South African Army Band, Western Cape) and brass teacher at Plumstead High School (1991 – 1998), where she was HOD Music from 1994 – 1998.

She was Head of Brass, Beau Soleil Music Centre from 1998 -2004, part-time brass lecturer at the South African College of Music, UCT and taught in the Genesis Community Music Project.

In 2004, she was appointed as brass lecturer, convener of Service-Learning, and conductor of the University of Stellenbosch Symphonic Wind Ensemble at the Music Department, SU.  She is currently a member of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Community Interaction Committee, of which she was chairperson from 2012 – 2015.

As ad hoc horn-player, she has performed with the Cape Sinfonia, Cape Town Chamber Orchestra, Con Spirito, former CAPAB and Namibian Symphony Orchestras and performs regularly with the Symphonic Wind Orchestra, WindWorx.

She is deputy-chair of the South African Horn Society and of WindWorx. Pamela works extensively in the sphere of community music, regularly adjudicates eisteddfods community band and choir competitions, conducts workshops with ‘community brass’ and consults with community music organisations on matters of funding, proposal writing, sustainability, brass pedagogy etc.

She is currently pursuing PhD studies at Stellenbosch University.

Committee Member

Peter Catzavalos

Peter started playing the trumpet at high school in the SACS Cadet Band taught by Ted Frazer.  His trumpet teachers were Graham Coote and later Sean Kierman.

He studied at UCT, getting a BMus (Ed) and an HDE in 1982.  Peter received his BMus Hons (Perf) in 1990, also from UCT.  He also has a LRSM (Teachers) and an Advanced Certificate in Education Cum Laude (Computer Studies) from Stellenbosch University.

Peter has been involved in concert band and orchestra music since his grade 9 year, where he played in the Dukes Band for many years.  He was also a member of the UCT Wind Band, the UCT Orchestra, the PAG Band in PE, the PE Orchestra, the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra (1985), the Stellenbosch University Wind Band, Stellenbosch University Orchestra, and a founder member of the then Chiuso Band, conducted by Mervyn Solomon.

He did many off stage parts in operas at the then Nico Malan Opera House and played on a few occasions for the CAPAB orchestra and the CTSO.  Peter was also the conductor of the PAG Band in Port Elizabeth and the Cape Field Artillery Band at Wingfield.

His first teaching post was at Grey Boys’ High School where he started and conducted the Grey High School Wind Band in 1985.  Other teaching posts were at JJ du Preez High, Parow High, and Milnerton High.

Peter is currently, since 2002, the brass teacher and Concert Band director at Wynberg Boys’ High School.  He also manages the very successful Steel Band Programme.

Peter is one of the lead trumpets in the WindWorx Band and still plays in the University of Stellenbosch Wind Band (since 1993).

Peter is also a member of the Cape Town Concert Brass where he plays euphonium and The Roderick Connolly Big Band. He is also very active in Brass Ensemble playing and is a member of the St. Michaels and All Angels Choir, in Observatory.

Committee Member

Charles Grey

Charles Grey brings more than three decades of experience in marketing, fundraising and sponsorship development, having worked with a wide range of respected organisations across the arts, sport, healthcare and social development sectors.

Over the past 30 years, Charles has been involved with high-profile institutions including the Natal Performing Arts Council, KZN Cricket Union, St Mary’s Hospital, Mariannhill, uShaka Marine World, the AIDS Foundation of South Africa, the KZN Society for the Blind, Learn to Earn and the South African Jockey Academy.

For the last 12 years, he has served as Fundraising Manager at the Peninsula School Feeding Association, where his work continues to make a meaningful impact in addressing child hunger through sustainable partnerships and donor engagement.

Charles’ professional journey also includes international experience.  He spent time in Dubai on a short-term contract with Promoseven Sport Marketing, a leading global marketing and advertising agency, where he worked as Sponsorship and Event Manager on major events such as the World 8-Ball Pool Championships, the Dubai Rugby Sevens and the UAE World Corporate Golf Challenge.   Beyond his professional achievements, Charles is deeply rooted in the performing arts.   A passionate singer and actor, he is currently a member of the Symphony Choir of Cape Town and the Cape Town Gilbert & Sullivan Society.   He has performed as a professional chorister in numerous operas, operettas and musicals in both Durban and Cape Town.

Secretary

Cameron Hofmeester

Cameron teaches Brass at the Frank Pietersen Music Centre (FPMC) in Paarl, where he serves as Head of Department: Brass and Woodwind.  He conducts the Senior Wind Band and is also the conductor of the newly formed orchestra at the Centre.

Cameron began his musical journey in his hometown of Ceres in a Christmas Band and later continued his music studies at Stellenbosch University, completing a Diploma in Practical Music and specialising in brass, under the guidance of the late Sean Kierman and his wife, Pamela Kierman. He thereafter completed his PGCE at the University of Cape Town.

Before joining FPMC in 2021, Cameron was a full-time music teacher at Heathfield High School, a part-time brass teacher and wind band conductor at Tygerberg High School, a lower brass teacher at Bellville High School and Wynberg Boys’ Junior School, and a brass teacher at Pinelands High School.

At FPMC, he has focused on the development of the Brass and Woodwind Departments and on expanding ensemble and performance opportunities for young musicians.  He is actively involved in learner preparation for youth orchestras and wind bands, examinations, eisteddfods, competitions and tertiary music studies.  Under his direction, the Senior Wind Band has performed at numerous festivals, eisteddfods and gala concerts, earning recognition for its musicality and energy.

Cameron recently completed a BEd Honours degree in Educational Development and Democracy from Stellenbosch University in 2025.

Sean Kierman

Sean was born in Portland, Oregon, educated in China, Pakistan, India, and the United States of America, completing his BA at Antioch University in Ohio, USA.

He pursued post-graduate studies at Wits University from 1966 – 67, whilst playing French horn with the SABC Symphony Orchestra and later moved to the Durban Symphony Orchestra before furthering his studies in politics and psychology at the University of the Orange Free State.

He was a central figure in the establishment of the Free State Instrumental Programme and the OFS Symphony Orchestra.

In 1979, he took up a lecturing position at the University of Port Elizabeth, where he initiated the brass studies programme and expanded it to one of the largest and most successful brass practices in the country by the time of his departure to Cape Town in 1987.

He was appointed as senior lecturer at the South African College of Music (SACM), University of Cape Town (UCT) in July 1987 where he was the convener of brass studies, building up an impressive studio of brass students during his tenure.

He also lectured in acoustics and conducted the University of Cape Town Wind Symphony until his retirement in December 2007.

His research interest, in which he completed his masters at the University of Port Elizabeth, is audio-pyscho-phonology and he worked extensively in this field with a local psychologist during his tenure at the SACM, UCT.

Sean was a committee member and the first conductor of the semi-professional symphonic wind ensemble, WindWorx, established in 2005. He has conducted this ensemble in numerous performances throughout the Western Cape over the years, including at the 2006 International Horn Symposium.

He was conductor of the Cape Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensemble from 2004 – 2014, has been conductor and clinician at numerous South African National Youth Orchestra Courses and has been invited to coach and lecture for community music organisations throughout the Western and Eastern Cape.

He was president and committee member of the South African Horn Society and received the prestigious Punto award, in recognition of his distinguished contributions and service to the art of horn playing and teaching, from the International Horn Society at the 38th International Horn Symposium held in Cape Town in 2006.

His most recent activities included teaching brass students at the University of the Western Cape Centre for the Performing Arts and instructing prospective Bandmasters as well as brass students enrolled in the Certificate Programme, Diploma and Degree courses at the Department of Music, Stellenbosch University (SU).

In 2014, he was awarded the prestigious Parnussus award by the Department of Music, SU, in recognition of his contribution to brass pedagogy in South Africa.