Toh was born in China, but lived in England from an early age. She was educated at Westonbirt School for girls in Gloucestershire where she won an Associated Board Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music and studied the piano with Harold Craxton and composition with Manuel Frankl. She has many accolades to her name, including the Lilian Davies Prize, Walter Macfarren and recital Diploma Gold medal, and the Royal Overseas Competition.
After graduation, she entered the class of Yvonne Lefebure at the Paris Conservatoire and was awarded her premier Prix in 1961. She participated in Alfred Cortot’s master class and gave performances for Jeunesse Musicale. Under Ibbs and Tillett management, she performed in many music clubs in England and also in France, Denmark and the Far East.
In 1967 she formed a trio which won a prize in the BBC chamber music competition. In 1970 she went to the United States for two years. During this period, she worked with Aube Tzerko , and was class pianist for Dorothy Delay, Cleveland Quartet, Sydney Harth at Aspen Summer school for several years.
After returning to London in 1973, she participated in the classes of Bruno Guirana, and Pierre Fournier at Prussia Cove and Aldeburgh. In 1975 Iris Dyer a piano professor at Junior RAM passed away, and the vacant post was offered to Toh. In 1989, she also took a post at Purcell School, a specialised music school for talented children and in 1994 she became part of the keyboard staff at senior RAM and was awarded an ARAM and subsequently a FRAM for her services to music.
She retired from Senior RAM in the summer of 2009 but continues to develop young talent at Junior RAM and Purcell school. Her students have won scholarships, competitions in UK and overseas. Toh has also given master classes at Yehudi Menuhin School. Chetham’s summer school, Trinity Laban Conservatoire (Trinity College of Music), and music colleges and universities in Taiwan, Singapore, HongKong, Beijing, Shanghai. She currently lives in London and is married to the pianist Fou Ts’ong.
Toh will be performing Haydn’s Sonate in A flat major Hob XV1:46 and Variations in F minor, as well as Chopin’s Prelude in C sharp minor op.45 and 24 Preludes op.28. The event is free and no booking is necessary.
For more information on any of the events, phone the GIPCA office on 021 480 7156 or email fin-gipca@uct.ac.za
Patsy Toh video recording:
Start: 31 Aug ’11 8:00 pm
End: 31 Aug ’11 10:00 pm
Cost: Free
Category: Music in the City
Organizer: GIPCA
Email: fin-gipca@uct.ac.za
Venue: Hiddingh Hall
Phone: +27 21 480 7156
Address: Google Map UCT Hiddingh Campus, 31-37 Orange Street, Cape Town, 8001, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8001, South Africa