By day, Dr Piet Swanepoel unravels the mysteries of disease, but after hours he swaps his microscope for a violin.
Now the pathologist with a penchant for Brahms, Beethoven and Bach wants to rejuvenate East London’s classical music scene.
The drive to make the city a hive of quality classical chamber concerts began last night, when the highly acclaimed Wits Trio was to entertain music lovers at the Stirling High School auditorium, a visit arranged by the musical pathologist.
“I want to get well-known South African classical music celebrities to our city to do solo recitals,” said Swanepoel, 40, who has built a beautiful home in Bonnie Doone since relocating from Nelspruit three years ago.
“But I want to combine this with local artists as there are very good pianists here.
“I would also like to check with universities to see if they have good students that would like to do recitals before their final exams.”
His plan to initiate a chamber music support group consisting of local music lovers who would attend such concerts, is under way and Swanepoel, who has played the violin since he was a five-year-old growing up in Potchefstroom, is keen to replicate the success he had in Nelspruit.
“I co-founded a music appreciation society there and as the Lowveld Chamber Music Society we gave regular concerts.”
As a schoolboy and medical student in the Free State, Swanepoel performed in the South African Youth Orchestra annually.
“I was a rugby player and the youth orchestra was on the same week as Craven Week, but the orchestra always won.”
Having successfully juggled music and rugby in his youth, Swanepoel now does the same with his career as a pathologist at Ampath Laboratories where, as a histopathologist, he inspects human tissue to diagnose disease – primarily cancer.
“Treating patients has never been my main interest, but pathology is the basis of medicine because it explains disease and how it works.”
Like music, pathology requires exacting methods and rigorous discipline. “You also spend a lot of time alone. I can sit at my microscope for eight hours. I don’t want to share that ‘niceness’ with other people.”
He does at times share his music with others.
“I have renovated the original baby grand piano from the Osner Hotel and gave a home concert to about 60 people accompanied by my mother, Cornelia Swanepoel. I would like to do a concert with her every year.”
Because he attended musical soirees and concerts in his youth, Swanepoel is determined to provide East Londoners with the same sense of occasion.
“I think East London needs to dress up and go to a q classical music concert at least once a quarter.” — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Medical muso on song with EL classical concerts
Now the pathologist with a penchant for Brahms, Beethoven and Bach wants to rejuvenate East London’s classical music scene.
The drive to make the city a hive of quality classical chamber concerts began last night, when the highly acclaimed Wits Trio was to entertain music lovers at the Stirling High School auditorium, a visit arranged by the musical pathologist.
“I want to get well-known South African classical music celebrities to our city to do solo recitals,” said Swanepoel, 40, who has built a beautiful home in Bonnie Doone since relocating from Nelspruit three years ago.
“But I want to combine this with local artists as there are very good pianists here.
“I would also like to check with universities to see if they have good students that would like to do recitals before their final exams.”
His plan to initiate a chamber music support group consisting of local music lovers who would attend such concerts, is under way and Swanepoel, who has played the violin since he was a five-year-old growing up in Potchefstroom, is keen to replicate the success he had in Nelspruit.
“I co-founded a music appreciation society there and as the Lowveld Chamber Music Society we gave regular concerts.”
As a schoolboy and medical student in the Free State, Swanepoel performed in the South African Youth Orchestra annually.
“I was a rugby player and the youth orchestra was on the same week as Craven Week, but the orchestra always won.”
Having successfully juggled music and rugby in his youth, Swanepoel now does the same with his career as a pathologist at Ampath Laboratories where, as a histopathologist, he inspects human tissue to diagnose disease – primarily cancer.
“Treating patients has never been my main interest, but pathology is the basis of medicine because it explains disease and how it works.”
Like music, pathology requires exacting methods and rigorous discipline. “You also spend a lot of time alone. I can sit at my microscope for eight hours. I don’t want to share that ‘niceness’ with other people.”
He does at times share his music with others.
“I have renovated the original baby grand piano from the Osner Hotel and gave a home concert to about 60 people accompanied by my mother, Cornelia Swanepoel. I would like to do a concert with her every year.”
Because he attended musical soirees and concerts in his youth, Swanepoel is determined to provide East Londoners with the same sense of occasion.
“I think East London needs to dress up and go to a q classical music concert at least once a quarter.” — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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