Claude Wecke

5 years old, taught myself the mouth organ
6 years old got piano lessons by Prof. Wagner of Dresden Conservatoire.
14 yrs old taught myself accordion and piano accordion.
17 yrs old had the only danceband in Swakopmund on piano and piano accordion with other players on violin, accordion and drums and played the flute in the Boys Scout band.

Studied music theory and history at Andalusia University (South Africa) and learnt to play Double Bass and Cello. Played 1. Double Bass in Andalusia Symphony Orchestra and also in chamber music (Schubert'sTrout and Octet) and in Baviaanspoort learnt to play the oboe. Gave concerts with a piano trio on cello.

1947 joined the Windhoek Symphony Orchestra as 1. Cellist. Joined the Scherer’s oratorio choir as instrumentalist (cello) and the Windhoek Childres’s choir as accompanist on double bass and cello. Played 1. cello in all (but one) Scherer’s opera productions, altogether 100 performances, national and international (1972 Germany tour 41 performances in three weeks). During my time as lecturer played 1. Cello in the conservatoires chamber orchestra and in opera and symphony productions. ln Johannesburg l played in various orchestras (National Symphony Orchestra, Rodepoort Pro-Musica Symphony and Opera orchestra, Randburg Symphony orchestra, Johannes Strauß Ensemble, Deutsches Orchester, Writwatersrand University orchestra) and gave over 100 performances with the Festive Ensemble from 1996-2000.

2000 New Zealand two concerts with Bach Musica (Auckland) on Cello and Double bass and private lessons in cello, double bass, clarinet, recorder and saxophone. 2003 music teacher at Northcross Intermediate in clarinet and cello.

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