Marina Louw
Marina Louw (viola) obtained a B.Mus (cum laude) at the Odeion School of Music, UFS, majoring in viola performance under the tuition of John Wille. She performed as a soloist at several Youth Music Concerto Festivals and was also a member of the National Youth Orchestra. While still a student, Marina regularly performed with faculty members in the Consortium Musicum and several chamber music recitals.
After completing her degree, Marina became a fulltime member of the National Symphony Orchestra of the SABC for a couple of years before moving to Cape Town. She furthered her studies at the University of Stellenbosch, obtaining a M.Mus (cum laude) in 2005. During this time she had several master classes in Oxford (UK) with the renowned Hungarian violinist and teacher, Kató Havas.
Marina has taught viola and didactics as a part time lecturer at the US and has been a UNISA examiner for many years. She has also adjudicated the Sanlam Primary Schools Competition and the ATKV Prelude Competition.
Marina freelanced for the CPO and other orchestras for many years and is also a keen chamber musician. She has performed with several well-known South African ensembles, such as the Odeion String Quartet and the Lyric Ensemble in concert with the internationally acclaimed violinist Phillipe Graffin. She was a member of the Cape Town Baroque Ensemble with whom she performed as a soloist in the Artscape Theatre. Marina has toured to Europe with several orchestras and joined the Cape Town String Quartet on a concert tour to Chile, South America. She has also been coaching at the annual Franschhoek Chamber Music workshop since 1998.
At present Marina is the Principal of Beau Soleil Music Centre in Cape Town, where she also heads up the String Department and teaches violin and viola.