Short History

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Short History of Esthé van Wyk

Esthé v Wyk was born in Pretoria grew up in Bloemfontein. Grade 1 saw her in Grey College, the only girl in her class amongst all the boys. From grade 2 she was in Oranje Meisieskool, and finished her grade 12 there, with a first class in Maths, Science, Biology and German.

Her singing career started at of 7, she sang in the school choir from grade 2 up until grade 12, youth choirs with Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra. She started singing classes at the age of 18, at Music department of University of the Free State in Bloemfontein under Prof. Chris Swanepoel and Margaret van der Post. She chose to marry at the age of 22, forfeiting a great opportunity overseas. She sang in the University choir, sang as soloist with Youth Symphony orchestra and sang in opera choirs until she performed her first solo role in "Student Prince" as the princess.

From there on she did bigger and leading roles as Musetta in La Boheme, with baritone Hans van Heerden. Later she sang Adele in Fledermaus with Gé Korsten, Hans van Heerden, and Cobus Rosseau (actor of fame - as the prison warden). She was also leading as Kathy with Michael Renier in the "Student Prince", and sang another leading role in "The Messiah" with the University choir. She sang the role of Hodel in "Fiddler on the Roof", with Gordon Mulholland as Tevye.

Esthé sang as soloist with symphony orchestras in the Free State, Natal (Durban), and with the Gerry Bosman Pop Classic Orchestra. She made several appearances in the best equipped theatre in Southern Hemisphere, the Sand du Plessis theatre in Bloemfontein, where she lived until 1999. She sang leading roles in many Broadway and cabaret shows, classical-pop shows, operettas and operas. She also sang with other pop orchestras and did many Broadway and cabaret shows.

For the last few years she has been living in Randburg, where she did bridal designing from her home as well as counceling and trauma counceling. She took up her singing again after a sabbatical of 10 years. During her performances she shines in a surprising display of versatility, singing anything from ballads, jazz, pop, cabaret, light classics, and in different languages such as Afrikaans, English, German, Italian, French, and Spanish. She still masters Lieder and opera arias, Viennese operettas and others. She does one man shows, concerts in the State theatre and elsewhere .

Esthé is also a dancer who performs with flowing movements and interacts in a wonderful surprising way with her audiences. She entertains with changing of costumes and props. She has been labeled by many well-known music "fundis" and critics, as ‘one of best voices" in South Africa. She aims to go international.