Deirdré Blignaut (soprano) studies BA (Languages) at the University of North West, graduates cum laude and is awarded Best Student, Faculty of Arts, 1988. She starts her career as translator at Transnet and later joins the Department of Arts and Culture as terminologist.

In 1995 music becomes her full-time career and field of study. She studies singing with Prof Werner Nel until 2000 and is currently with Eugenie Chopin. She did repertoire studies with the late Anna Bender. In 2002 she completes a Performer’s Licentiate cum laude and is invited to participate in the Unisa International Bursary Competition.

In 1996 she joins the then PACT ad hoc opera chorus and later sings understudy and solo parts.

In addition to concert performances and corporate events, she regularly performs in oratorios, amongst others Mozart’s Excultate Jubilate, with the Pretoria Sinfonia Orchestra the Messiah (Handel), St John’s Passion (Bach), Mendelssohn Symphony No 2, the Schubert Mass and Recital, the Mozart Requiem and Coronation Mass and Handel’s Ps 112 with the Pretoria Bach Choir. In July 2006, she makes her opera debute in Mozart’s Zauberflöte at the Pro Musica Theatre.  She recently performed as the nymph Eurilla in the world premiere of Vivaldi’s Serenata a tre; Mio cor, povero cor commissioned by the Societa Dante Alighieri with John Coulter and his baroque orchestra. During 2009, Haydn’s bicentenary was celebrated with selected songs with early music specialist, John Coulter, and fortepiano in Johannesburg and Bloemfontein. A program with narrator Anna Stoddard and John Coulter, Haydn’s English Widow, toured Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Cape Town 2009.

She also performs at national arts festivals, amongst others, commissioned works at the KKNK, 2001 - Op die Krovlak (De Villiers song cycles), 2002 Passie (Dvorak song cycles) and Niel van der Watt’s song cycle Klipwerk, in 2003 a dramatised song cycle Ingrid Jonker: Op die Voetpad by Gerrit Jordaan, and in 2004 Encore! Classic Favourites with Amarillie Ackerman and Sergio Zampoli. The 2001 Op die Krovlak won the KKNK Kanna Award for Best Serious Music Recital.

Currently she is working towards a MMus (Performing Arts) at the University of Pretoria. She teaches voice at Pretoria Girls High and her private voice studio, lectures Methodology of Singing at the University of Pretoria and at the School of Music, North West University. She is actively involved in the community with adjudication at Eisteddfods country-wide, presents voice workshops for various choirs and the Choir Academy of SA, and also presents papers and lectures at various cultural organisations like the FAK. She also publishes articles in the field of music, the most recent one in an Afrikaans cultural journal, Pomp.

Afrikaanse profiel

Deirdre Blignaut (sopraan) matrikuleer aan die Hoërskool Overvaal in Vereeniging. Sy verwerf ‘n BA (Tale) cum laude aan die PU vir CHO, Vaaldriehoekkampus, asook die toekenning Beste Student, Fakulteit Lettere en Wysbegeerte, in 1988. Sy begin haar loopbaan as taalpraktisyn by Transnet en sluit later by die Nasionale Terminologiediens aan waar sy tot en met 1995 werksaam is. Later dieselfde jaar word musiek haar studieveld en vryskutberoep. Sy studeer deeltyds by Unisa en sang by prof. Werner Nel. Sy doen ook repertoriumstudies onder Anna Bender en is tans by Eugenie Chopin. In 1996 sluit sy by die destydse TRUK aan as ad hoc-operakoorlid en later volg ook solowerk en instanerrolle.

Tans tree sy meesal in konsert- en oratoriumuitvoerings op. Veral met die Pretoria Bach Koor word sy in verskeie produksies gekontrakteer; die Johannes Passie en die Mendelssohn Simfonie Nr 2 in 2002, die Messias en ‘n Schubert Liederkonsert 2003, Oratorium-konsert 2004 en die Mozart Requiem en Kroningsmis 2005. Sy sing ook oratoriumarias en die Mozart Excultate Jubilate met die Simfonia Orkes in 2004. In 2002 slaag sy die Unisa Voordraerslisensiaat cum laude en word genooi om aan die oorsese beurskompetisie deel te neem.

Vanaf 2001 tot 2004 volg vyf opdragproduksies vir die KKNK. Haar debuutproduksie Op die Krovlak (Pieter de Villiers liedere) wen die Kanna vir beste produksie, Ernstige Musiek. Dan volg Passie (2 Dvořák liedsiklusse), Klipwerk (NP van Wyk Louw toonsettings), Op die Voetpad (Ingrid Jonker-gedenkjaar, gedramatiseerde liedere) en Encore! ‘n program met Sergio Zampolli en Amarillie Ackermann. Sy tree ook sedert 2001 by ander kunstefeeste soos die Bloemfontein Volksbladfees, Grahamstadse Kunstefees en die Drakensbergse Music in the Mountains in opdragproduksies op. In 2006 volg die Pro Musica produksie van Mozart se Towerfluit en in 2007 sing sy die wêreldpremiere van ‘n Vivaldi-werk, Serenata a tre: Mio cor, povero cor in Johannesburg, Pretoria en Potchefstroom, onder die Barok-spesialis, John Coulter. Saam met John Coulter as fortepiano-begeleier word ‘n suksesvolle konserttoer na Bloemfontein met ‘n Haydn, Mozart en Beethoven program onderneem. Sy sing ook die Handel Ps 112, Mozart Vespers en Bach se Wachet auf in Pretoria in November 2008 in die Musaion. Met Haydn se 200ste gedenkjaar doen sy en John Coulter ‘n huldigingsprogram met fortepiano bestaande uit ‘n versameling van Haydn se Engelse en Duitse liedere en die sekulêre kantate Arianna a Naxos, tydens die Bloemfonteinse Kamermusiekfees en die Universiteit van Pretoria se Haydn-fees. Nog ‘n Haydn-program met John Coulter (fortepiano) en Anna Stoddard  (verteller) Haydn’s English Widow debuteer in September 2009 by die Practical School of Philosophy in Johannesburg, en word ook in Oktober vir die Rupertstigting se konsertreeks in Kaapstad uitgevoer.

Sy voltooi eersdaags haar MMus aan die Universiteit van Pretoria waar sy sedert 2006 Sangmetodiek doseer. Verder is sy ook sangdosent by Noordwes Universiteit (Potchefstroom) se Musiekskool. Sy gee sangonderrig by Pretoria High School for Girls en by haar private ateljee, beoordeel kunswedstryde, lewer referate by instansies soos die FAK en bied stemvormingskursusse vir kore landswyd en by die Koorakademie SA in Pretoria aan en het al artikels oor musiek gepubliseer, die mees onlangse in die Afrikaanse kultuurjoernaal Pomp.