Anna-Maria Vermeulen (Flute, Piccolo, & Recorder Teacher)
My name is Anna-Maria Vermeulen and I love playing and teaching the flute, piccolo, fife and recorder. I received my Masters degree in flute performance (cum laude) at the University of Pretoria, and I hold a Bachelors and an Honours degree (cum laude) in flute performance. I also hold a Performer’s Licentiate from the University of South Africa. I have played both flute and piccolo in many orchestras and bands, given plenty of recitals, played as the soloist with a few orchestras and participated in masterclasses of many prestigious flutists. I teach both school-aged and adult students, of varying abilities. I also teach at two private schools and I am the flute and flute methodology lecturer at the University of Pretoria. Additionally, I have intensely studied flute pedagogy. I am comfortable teaching flutists of any age and any level.
So Jung La (Clarinet & Piano Teacher)
So Jung La is a clarinettist and a pianist in Gauteng. She is the founder of ‘The Lala Music Academy.’ She did her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of South Africa. She majored in performance in clarinet and piano under Lizet Smith and Prof Joseph Standford. So Jung is currently the clarinet teacher at Pretoria High School for Girls and a piano and clarinet teacher at Lala Music Academy. She has played in different concerto festivals as a clarinet soloist including the Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra, Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra and Rand Symphony Orchestra. She has many experiences in having the opportunity to play with different orchestras including Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra, Bach choir orchestra, Pretoria Symphony Orchestra and University of Pretoria Symphony Orchestra.
Stacey Rosema (Violin Teacher)
I have a passion for music education, and I believe that every person deserves to experience the joy that comes from learning; transforming potential into ability. I hope to share this with my students. I started violin in primary school and went on to study BMus at the University of Pretoria, specialising in violin performance (as a student of Denise Suttion) and violin methodology. I am currently busy with my level 1 Suzuki teachers training. When I am not teaching violin or practicing, I teach music at a preschool, I play chamber music with friends, practice with my church’s worship team and play for my favourite string ensemble UP4Strings.
Mieke-Marie Kunz (Brass Teacher)
Mieke-Marie Kunz is a young, aspiring orchestral conductor from Gauteng. She completed her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Pretoria in 2019. She majored in performance in French horn and conducting, under the immensely talented mentorship of Gerben Grooten and Jaco van Staden. Currently, Mieke is working as one of the assistant conductors for the University of Pretoria Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Winds as well as the Pretoria Symphony Orchestra. She is also a part-time brass teacher at The National School of Arts in Johannesburg. Throughout her career as a freelance French horn player she has had opportunities to play with some of South Africa’s leading orchestras including the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Namibia and MIAGI Orchestra. She hopes that, through sharing her passion and making music, she can inspire others to invest in music and the arts and see what a transformative impact it would have on their lives.
Monica Mhangwana (Voice Teacher)
Monica Mhangwana is a versatile singer, vocal coach and entrepreneur, born and raised in Pretoria South Africa. She studied music at the University of Pretoria under the tutelage of Dr Hanli Stapela. She holds the record of being selected to perform as the soloist for the prestigious University of Pretoria’s annual Principals concert four years in a row (2015-2018), singing in many genres ranging from Jazz African styles, Contemporary, and Western Classical styles. Monica sung on stages with local artists, Ian von Memerty, Zonke, Lloyd Cele and the famous Swedish Accapella ensemble, The Real Group. She toured nationally and internationally to Cape Town, Belgium, Amsterdam, Namibia, Austria, Latvia, France and Seychelles as part of various music ensembles. She was the alto soloist in Umculo’s St John’s Passion by JS Bach in Soweto, this project won the German based Classical:NEXT innovation award. She was the lead vocalist in Dr Phuti Sepuru’s Quintet which represented South Africa in the Seychelles in November 2018, singing Afro Jazz tunes and participating in a cultural music exchange workshop. In 2019 she was a soloist for the Roche Bobois French Opera event in Sandton, Johannesburg, hosted by Dr Harald Sitta. This event was reported and published in the Vienna online magazine Der Neue Merker and Habitat Magazine. Her face is on the cover of the African Theatre 19: Opera & Music Theatre
publication (2019).
Lala Music Academy 