Graham du Plessis

BMus (Hons): University of Birmingham, MMus Performance: Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Graham completed his Bachelor of Music (Hons) at the University of Birmingham.  He then went on to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where he completed his MMus specialising in cello performance.  He was the recipient of the Eifion Evans award for musical excellence and the winner of the Cardiff Violins chamber music competition.  As a teenager he was also a runner-up in the BBC Proms Young Composer competition.

After his studies Graham enjoyed performing chamber music throughout Europe, giving recitals in the UK, Switzerland, Sweden, and in Ischia as a guest of Lady Walton (the late wife of the composer William Walton).  He also played extensively with British orchestras including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and various other symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles.

Graham has also appeared as a cellist in several mainstream films, recorded film and TV music for the likes of Universal, and he has performed and recorded music with a number of contemporary artists from a range of genres.

Since returning to South Africa in 2017, following many years overseas, Graham has enjoyed freelance work as a performer, regularly performing with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.  He is the Cello Lecturer at the University of Cape Town. In December 2020 he will play the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto in A minor with the Vidin State Symphony Orchestra in Bulgaria.

In his free time Graham enjoys the stillness of the Karoo, the wildlife of Kruger, and hiking in various South African mountain ranges.