Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph
OIB
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Zaidel visiting Darmstadt, West Germany in August 1974
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| Born | 9 July 1948 Transvaal, South Africa
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| Education | Doctorate in Composition |
| Alma mater | University of Pretoria |
| Occupation | Composer, pianist and teacher |
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Notable work
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"National anthem of South Africa" |
| Spouse(s) | Michael Rudolph |
Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph (born 9 July 1948) is a famous South African composer, pianist, and teacher. She made history by becoming the first woman in South Africa to earn a special degree called a doctorate in music composition. She also helped create the South African national anthem, writing its final part!
Learning Music
Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph was born in Transvaal, South Africa. She started playing the piano when she was just five years old. She studied music at the University of Pretoria with great teachers like Stefans Grové.
Later, she went to London to study at the Royal College of Music. There, she learned more about composing from John Lambert and Tristram Carey. She even met a famous composer named György Ligeti, who invited her to join his class in Hamburg. Ligeti's way of using different musical layers (called counterpoint) and sounds (called tone colour) really influenced her music.
Jeanne also became a very skilled piano player. Her piano teachers included Goldie Zaidel, Philip Levy, Adolph Hallis, and John Lill. In 1979, Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph returned to South Africa. She became the first woman in the country to get a Doctorate in Composition from the University of Pretoria.
Her Career in Music
In 1988, Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph's music was featured on an EMI album. This was the first time a South African classical music composer had a full album of their works released.
She was asked to write a special piece of music for the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. It was called "Oratorio for Human Rights." In 1995, President Nelson Mandela asked her to arrange a combined version of South Africa's old and new national anthems. She also composed a song called "He walked to Freedom" for his special honorary doctorate ceremony in 1997.
From 2000 to 2003, she took part in a show called Celebration in Canada, the US, and the UK. For this show, she composed, conducted, and arranged the music.
Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph has written music for many different styles. This includes large symphonies, chamber music (for small groups of instruments), choir music, ballet, rock operas, film music, and pieces for solo instruments. Her music is performed regularly in Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
She has also made a big impact on Jewish music in Johannesburg. In 2013, she wrote a Jewish-themed piece called "Hebrotica" for a marimba (a type of xylophone). It was dedicated to and first performed by the talented musician Alex Jacobowitz.
Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph is closely connected with the Sydenham-Highlands North Hebrew Congregation. Their male choir has released many songs that she composed. Her music often shows inspiration from religious ideas and combines African and Western musical styles.
Since 1975, Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph has been a Professor of Composition at the School of Music at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Awards and Honours
- In 1974, she was the first South African composer to win the Cobbett Prize for composition at the Royal College of Music.
- In 1986, she won first prize in the very first Total Oil (SA) Competition in South Africa.
