Frank Mallows

BSc (Eng) MSc MMus

Cape Town born, Frank Mallows, received his early musical training under John Badminton and Graham Coote at Diocesan College (Bishops) Rondebosch. Whilst still in his teens Frank started performing professionally as a Percussionist with the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra and CAPAB Orchestras, and later being appointed Sub Principal Percussionist and Assistant Manager of the latter orchestra.

Initial percussion studies in Cape Town were under John Hargreaves and Peter Hamblin, and continued studies included classes with Robert van Sice (Marimba) and Ed Saindon (Vibraphone), at the Berklee College of Music Boston Mass. USA

As a sololist Frank performed Peter Klatzow's Concerto ‎for Marimba and Strings with the CAPAB orchestra under the baton of Stewart Kershaw at the National Arts Festival Grahamstown in 1990. In 2012 Frank commissioned Peter Klatzow to compose a double concerto for Vibraphone, Marimba and Strings. This work was premiered in 2013 by Frank (vibraphone), Magda de Vries (Marimba), with the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra under Maestro Richard Cock. In 2014 Frank performed Peter Klatzow’s Concerto for Flute Marimba and Strings together with flautist, Liesl Stoltz and the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra with Maestro Victor Yampolsky conducting.

‎For twenty three years Frank was Principal and Head of Percussion and Drum Kit at the Western Cape Education Department's, Beau Soleil Music Centre. Currently his teaching focus is as Head of Percussion and Drum Kit Studies, at the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town.

In addition to a BSc and MSc, in Civil Engineering, Frank holds a MMus degree in Vibraphone performance from the University of Cape Town.

Frank performs regularly in a wide range of musical genre, from Orchestral Classical Percussionist in local South African orchestras and Chamber Group, to multi-Percussionist for shows and musicals (including The Fantastics, Snoopy, Pirates of Penzance, The Medium, Maria de Buenos Aires, Trouble in Tahiti and West Side Story) , to Jazz Vibraphone, Drums and Keyboards in various Cape Town bands and ensembles.

Frank has directed The Percussion Ensemble (now called ERGONOMIX) since 1998, a group of like-minded young Percussionists, the membership of which is dependent on player availability, who have a passion for performing new and interesting Percussion Ensemble works.