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Jacobus Kloppers

 
CountryCanada
OccupationArranger, Composer, Performer, Musicologist, Teacher

Jacobus Kloppers (born 1937 in Krugersdorp, South Africa) served as Professor of Organ and Musicology and Chair of the Music Department at The King’s University College in Edmonton, Alberta , Canada
since its founding in 1979 until 2008. He is continuing as Full-time Lecturer in Organ and Musicology at King’s as well as Adjunct Professor in Keyboard at the University of Alberta (a position he has held since 1997).

After completing his undergraduate work and Organ Licentiates in South Africa he continued his studies in Frankfurt/Main: Organ with Professor Helmut Walcha at the Musikhochschule (1961-1965) and Musicology at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University (1961-1966). His doctoral thesis focused on the performance of Bach’s organ music. From 1966- 1976 he taught Musicology and Organ at the University of the Orange Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa (as full Professor since 1970). He gave organ
recitals in South Africa, Canada, West Germany and Austria (1966-1985), including broadcast work for the SABC and CBC. Related work includes that of church organist, jury member for the University of South Africa overseas scholarships, examiner for the
Western Board of Music, Canada, composer and organ advisor (23 projects). Since 1966 he gave lectures in South Africa, Canada, West Germany and Austria on the performance of Bach organ music, on Musical Rhetoric and Symbolism in the Baroque with special
reference to Bach’s organ works. He has been organist/choir director in South Africa 1956-1961, 1966-1976), Frankfurt/Main in West Germany (1961-1966) and St. John the Evangelist (Anglican) in Edmonton, Alberta (1976 to present). In South Africa he also served on the Committee for the Revision of the Afrikaans Hymnal (1969-1976) and
was co-editor for the first two of a series of liturgical organ music albums. In addition
to his work at The King’s University College, he taught Organ privately in Edmonton since 1976. He served on the jury for the Tribach Festival Scholarship competition in Edmonton, 1985, and on various juries for the Johann Strauss Scholarship competitions since 1977. He was a member of the Organ Advisory Committee of the Winspear Centre,
Edmonton (1994-2002) and oversaw the final voicing of its new Davis Concert Hall Organ (summer of 2002). He is a member of the Canadian League of Composers, The Edmonton Composers Concert Society (now "Tonus Vivus", voting member of the
Canadian Music Centre, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. In June 2008 he was inducted into the Edmonton Cultural Hall of Fame in the Builder Category.

His compositions (around 70) include works sponsored by Canada Council, CBC, The Royal Canadian College of Organists, the Marjorie Young Bell Fine Arts and Music Fund at Mount Allison University, Sackville NB, the South African Foundation for the Creative
Arts, churches and various private sponsors. These comprise organ solo works for liturgical and concert use, an organ concerto, alto-saxophone concerto, various anthems and choral music, two organ suites for organ duet, "Reflections" for piano solo, "Jack and the Bean Stalk" for organ and narrator, "Celtic Impressions" for organ solo, as well as a "Triptych:Carolingian Temperaments" for organ and alto-saxophone. His music is published in Canada, United States and South Africa and a number of them appear on 11 Compact Discs (including the German "Querstand" label). His music has enjoyed
performances in greater Europe, North- and South America, Hong Kong and South Africa and broadcasts on CBC, SABC, Radio Netherlands, Polish Radio 2 and Minnesota Public Radio. The "Canticle of the Sun", for mixed chorus, brass and organ was commissioned
by The Friends of the Winspear Centre, Edmonton and performed at the inaugurational gala of the Davis Organ, September 14, 2002. With a travel grant from Canada Council the composer attended the performance of his "Te Deum" for Mixed Choir, Organ and Timpani in May, 2005 by the Polish Chamber Choir (Polski Chor Kameralny; director Jan Lukaszewski) at the 15th Gaude

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