Biography

Among the most versatile musicians of her generation, South African pianist Jeanne-Minette Cilliers has been called “a pianistic poet”, garnering rave reviews for her color-rich and imaginative performances.

Starting piano lessons at the age of three, she made her orchestra debut at the age of 12 in her native South Africa playing Joaquín Turina’s Rapsodia sinfónica. From a young age, she won top prizes in national competitions including the coveted UNISA Overseas Music Scholarship and two special prizes at the UNISA International Piano Competition in 2000. International highlights include top prizes at the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale, the Kalamazoo Young Artists Bach Competition and the Nena Wideman Concerto Competition. These successes culminated in performances at prestigious venues such as the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. and the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, among others.

Increasingly in demand as a collaborator, Ms. Cilliers has performed in Austria, Germany, Israel, Sweden, South Africa and across North America, including at the Irving S. Gilmore Keyboard Festival and the Ravinia Festival. Noted soloists include cellist Frans Helmerson, tenor Carlos Montané and baritone Håkan Hagegård. With the latter she has appeared in concert at the Carl Larsson museum in Sundborn, Sweden – the first performers ever invited to this unique monument of Swedish culture. They are currently completing a recording of Dominick Argento’s Andreé Expedition, to be released in the upcoming season.

She masterfully plans, creates, directs and performs in unique and innovative performances of staged and interdisciplinary productions, which have been met with great enthusiasm from critics and audiences alike. Highlights include a production in Stockholm of Enrique Granados’ Goyescas - joined by a flamenco dancer and video projections, as well as art song productions in New York City. Upcoming engagements include productions in North America (including New York City and San Francisco), Sweden, South Africa, and the Caribbean (Barbados and Trinidad), with a frequent focus on the Swedish art song repertoire.

In recent years, she has been affiliated with the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia as collaborative pianist. She also served as official pianist for the German for Singers program in Middlebury, Vermont; the Centro Studi Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy and as faculty of the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel. Currently Ms. Cilliers is on the faculty of both the Martina Arroyo Opera Study program in New York and the Manhattan School of Music.

Ms. Cilliers regularly recorded for the South African Broadcasting Company, and has been featured on SABC television and radio programs. In May 1993 she received two performance licentiates in chamber music and vocal accompanying (equal to an arts diploma), both cum laude, from the University of South Africa. Past teachers in her native country include Japie Human and Nettie Immelman.

Ms. Cilliers earned her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees (with distinction) from the University of Michigan while studying with fellow South African and Naumburg Competition gold medalist, Anton Nel. As a student of Menahem Pressler, she earned an Artist Diploma from Indiana University. In May 2006, she became the first and only recipient of an Artist Diploma in vocal accompanying from the Manhattan School of Music, where she worked with Warren Jones.

Ms. Cilliers in based in New York City.