Woodwind Department

The Beau Soleil Woodwind Department offers students the exceptional opportunity to study with nationally known teachers specializing in the full complement of Woodwind instruments, including flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone. Students can expect individual attention, high standards and a supportive learning environment. Our students work with a professional accompanist on repertoire throughout the year and have a wide range of opportunities to perform.

Each student is challenged to develop his or her own musicianship to the highest degree while following individual goals. Wind ensembles, stage band, chamber music opportunities and master classes with guest artists broaden the musical boundaries for woodwind students at Beau Soleil.
Beau Soleil’s reputation for excellence attracts students from around the Peninsula, enhancing the overall educational experience of music students.

Jessica Clarke Feature

Jessica Clarke is a student at Beau Soleil Music School where she has studied flute with Derek Fennell since 2018. She picked up the flute for the first time at age 13, in 2015, and thereafter completed several Trinity and ABRSM graded flute exams with distinction. At Beau Soleil she was placed as first flute for the Senior Band and has participated in many ensemble concerts and chamber music concerts. In 2018 she received the Beau Soleil progress prize for senior woodwinds. In 2019 she attended the Franschhoek Chamber Music Festival and the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival, where she participated in an informal masterclass with Demarre McGill. She joined the Cape Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensemble in 2019 and was made first flute in 2020. During the pandemic she participated in an online flute forum where she challenged herself to make weekly videos of her flute playing while she could not reach live audiences.

Jessica grew up in a musical home, showing love for the arts as a child. In her teenage years, she began to take special interest in music, discovering her passion for flute. Jessica is grateful for the comfort and support that listening to music has provided for her throughout the years. She hopes to comfort others with her playing. She believes that music has ability to connect and inspire audiences and she hopes that music will always be a part of her life. Her dreams include finding her niche in the artistic world, travelling to different countries, and becoming fluent in a foreign language. She hopes to study music further.

Please click on the titles below which will take you two solo performances by Jessica.

JS Bach Sonata no. 6 in E major, BWV1035 1st movt: Adagio ma non tanto

Edwin York Bowen Flute Sonata Op.120, 3rd movt: Allegro con fuoco

Derek Fennell

Head of the Woodwind Department 

derek@beausoleil.org.za

Student Feature

Joshua Atwood-Palm is a grade 12 learner who specializes in saxophone and oboe. He has his own saxophone quartet at SACS and is active giving concerts around town. Joshua hopes to study overseas after he completes his final exams.