Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival

26/06/2026

One of our talented participants, cellist Ethan Lawson .j.lawson joined The this week to showcase their work and spread the word about the ten days of musical magic happening at SICMF 2026 taking place from 3-12 July at the Endler Hall , watch and enjoy! Then come and watch Ethan and colleagues on stage!

Tickets at the link in our bio.

25/06/2026

Meet our viola faculty for SICMF 2026. 🎻

Dana Zemtsov (Netherlands) — Celebrated by Gramophone as “so perfectly tuned, so varied in color”, Dana performs at the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Carnegie Hall and has released seven critically acclaimed albums on Channel Classics Records. She is artistic director of the Numina Chamber Music Festival in Gouda.

Xandi van Dijk (South Africa) — Member of the internationally renowned Signum Quartet since 2007 and winner of two OPUS Klassik awards, including Best Chamber Music Album of the Year 2024. He has been principal viola of the Munich Chamber Orchestra since 2017 and founded the Viimsi Sinfonietta in Estonia in 2024.

Mikhail Zemtsov (Netherlands) — Violist, conductor and teacher at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague, prize-winner at the 1st International Viola Competition in Vienna and founder of the Zemtsov Viola Quartet. His recording of Martinů’s Concerto Rhapsody for Chandos with the Estonian National Orchestra received widespread international acclaim.

3–12 July 2026 · Endler Hall, Stellenbosch

Tickets at sicmf.co.za 🎟️
LiveMusic

23/06/2026

Our Festival Director and Faculty Cellist Peter Martens sat down with Mike Mills from Fine Music Radio Inc. today to chat about the upcoming 21st Chamber Music Festival. Have a listen! (Interview starts at 44:50)

Cape Diary, airs three times a week, as a vibrant platform for the arts. Broadcast live from its home at Artscape, it’s the perfect setting to promote concerts, plays, exhibitions, and community events.

22/06/2026

The Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival returns from 3-12 July at Stellenbosch University’s Endler Hall 🎻✨ Experience breathtaking performances from just R150 at webtickets.co.za

20/06/2026

We are beyond excited to announce the premiere screening of ‘Beyond the Music’ — a documentary film celebrating 20 years of the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival. 🎬🎶

Commissioned to mark our 20th anniversary, the film was created by De Wet van Rooyen of Wyrd Films and goes behind the scenes of the festival that has shaped the lives of so many musicians, audiences and communities over two decades.

Join us for the premiere on 3 July at 18:00 at the Jannasch Hall, Stellenbosch University — before the festival’s opening night concert.

Admission: Free for festival participants and pass holders · R40 for general admission.

We hope to see you there. 🎥

15/06/2026

Ten days of world-class chamber music, orchestral concerts, masterclasses, conversations, and musical discovery await at SICMF 2026.

Whether you’re joining us for a single concert or planning to immerse yourself in the full festival experience, tickets are now available and Festival Passes are on sale.

A Festival Pass offers the best value for audiences wishing to experience more of what SICMF has to offer, with access to a wide range of concerts and events throughout the festival.

From internationally acclaimed artists and conductors to South Africa’s most promising young musicians, SICMF 2026 brings together an extraordinary community of performers, educators, and music lovers in Stellenbosch.

3–12 July 2026
Stellenbosch University Conservatory

Book now at sicmf.co.za

14/06/2026

Read this excellent feature on page two of the Cape Argus this weekend.

Join the world's finest musicians this July at the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival, where the transformative power of music unites diverse communities against the stunning backdrop of the Western Cape's winelands.

13/06/2026

Meet our violin faculty for SICMF 2026. 🎻

Daniel Rowland (Netherlands/UK) — Former leader of the Brodsky Quartet, founder of the Stift International Music Festival, and professor at the Royal College of Music London.

Siwoo Kim (USA) — Juilliard-trained and described by the New York Times as “incisive and compelling”, co-founding artistic director of VIVO Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio.

Miriam Helms Ålien (Norway) — Winner of the Princess Astrid Music Prize, founder and artistic director of FESTIVALTA, the world’s northernmost chamber music festival, and Professor of Violin at UiT — The Arctic University of Norway. She performs on the 1689 “Ragin” Stradivarius.

Miclen LaiPang (France) — Violinist of the internationally celebrated Trio Zadig, founder of the Miesbach Kammermusikfestival in Germany, and winner of major international prizes with performances across 60 countries and 5 continents.

Suzanne Martens (South Africa) — Head of Department at Stellenbosch University, guest concertmaster of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, and active chamber musician.

Farida Bacharova (Russia/South Africa) — Head of Strings and Associate Professor at UCT’s South African College of Music, and guest concertmaster of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.

3–12 July 2026 · Endler Hall, Stellenbosch
Tickets at sicmf.co.za 🎟️

LiveMusic

08/06/2026

The moment the audience said everything. 🎶

YaoGuang Zhai performing Artie Shaw’s Clarinet Concerto under conductor Jacobus de Jager at SICMF 2025 — and the good news? He’s back for 2026.

SICMF 2026 · 3–12 July, Stellenbosch.
Tickets available now at sicmf.co.za 🎟️

06/06/2026

Returning to SICMF in 2026, Liam Burden will conduct the Festival Symphonic Wind Ensemble, a new addition to the festival’s orchestral programme.

A faculty member of the festival since 2023, Burden is Departmental Head of Winds, Percussion and Piano at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre, Music Director and Conductor of the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and a lecturer at Stellenbosch University. As both conductor and performer, he has worked extensively with young musicians across South Africa and brings a wealth of experience to this exciting new venture at SICMF.

The introduction of the Festival Symphonic Wind Ensemble marks an important expansion of the festival’s orchestral offering, and we are delighted to welcome Liam Burden to the podium for its inaugural year.