Annelize de Villiers

Annelize de Villiers is a Cape Town based clarinettist with a great interest and enthusiasm for ensemble playing. She is an active chamber and orchestral musician in South Africa, and was acting principal clarinettist of the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2014 and co-principal and e-flat clarinettist of the KZNPO from 2014 to 2017. In 2017 she relocated to Cape Town and was sub-principal clarinettist of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra until the end of 2020. During her postgraduate studies with renowned Swiss clarinettist Frédéric Rapin, she also qualified in bass clarinet and historical clarinet. She has toured throughout Switzerland and France for various chamber music productions, most notably for the staged production of Stravinsky’s “L’Histoire du soldat'' with French director Roland Auzet and singer Thomas Fersen. Annelize performed the African and South African premieres of David Bruce’s acclaimed clarinet quintet “Gumboots”, and is featured on the new live album “For The Duration Of This Cloud”, showcasing experimental South African chamber music. In 2024 Annelize formed the Luna Duo with Danielle Rossouw, and at the 2025 Woordfees, along with the Juliet String Quartet, they were awarded the Woordtrofee in the category “Exceptional contribution to Classical Music - Instrumental”. Annelize regularly presents masterclasses in the Cape area, and adjudicates at national competitions and eisteddfods. She currently teaches at Rondebosch Boys’ High School and is the clarinet lecturer at the South African College of Music at the University of Cape Town.