Winds Division

Who are we?

The Winds Division at the Department of Music, Stellenbosch University, is one of South Africa’s most active and comprehensive training centres for woodwind and brass. Students receive specialist tuition on flute and piccolo, oboe and cor anglais, clarinet and bass clarinet, saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone), bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba, as well as training in historically informed performance through the baroque oboe programme. Wind students rehearse weekly in dedicated brass and woodwind ensembles designed to strengthen intonation, develop a unified sectional tone, improve technical cohesion, and build ensemble awareness. These skills are directly transferable to large-ensemble settings, ensuring that students enter orchestral and wind-band contexts with strong foundational section-playing abilities. Students also participate across the Department’s many ensembles, including the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Band, Maties Jazz Orchestra, and a variety of chamber groups, gaining extensive performance experience and exposure to diverse repertoire.

Throughout the year, students benefit from regular master classes offered by international performers visiting South Africa. These sessions provide exposure to global performance practices, technical insights, and artistic mentorship from leading professional musicians.

A major highlight of the year is the prestigious Stellenbosch International Music Festival, hosted annually by the Department in July. Wind students rehearse and perform in one of the festival orchestras in the mornings, receive coaching in chamber ensembles in the afternoons from international faculty, and attend or participate in evening concerts featuring world-renowned performers. This immersive festival environment places students alongside top international musicians, offering a transformative artistic and educational experience.

Students in the Winds Division continue to excel in competitions, regularly feature in concerto festivals across the country, and often perform ad hoc with national and regional orchestras, gaining valuable professional exposure. This large and vibrant division in the Department of Music offers a dynamic, collaborative, and inspiring environment that prepares students for successful careers as performers, educators, and ensemble musicians.