(b. 4 April 1959, Durban).
German composer, born in South Africa, of mostly chamber and piano works that have been performed in Africa and Europe; he is also active as a pianist.
Mr. Roux studied composition with Jürgen Bräuninger and Kevin Volans at the Universiteit van Natal, where he earned his BMus in 1982, his diploma in higher education in 1983 and his master's degree in 1988. He then studied composition with Ulrich Süsse at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Stuttgart from 1989–92.
As a pianist, he has toured South Africa many times, often playing his own works. He performed two concerts with pennywhistle virtuoso Jake Lerole in 2002 and made various appearances with Ladysmith Black Mambazo in 2004 and the pennywhistle group Kwela Tebza in 2005–06. He has participated in numerous festivals, including the Tonkünstlerfest in Baden-Württemberg in 1990 and 1993, the International Composers Workshop in Amsterdam in 1996 and the International Classical Music Festival of South Africa in 2003–04. He delivered a lecture-recital of South African jazz pieces to the German-American Society in 1999 and presented a portrait concert at the Waldorf School in Stuttgart in 2000.
He taught and served as a chorusmaster at Port Natal High School in Durban from 1986–88. He has taught at the Waldorf School in Stuttgart since 1991.
He has lived in Germany since 1989.
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
Ritual (dance music, choreography by Paul Douglas), 2 pianos, 1997
ORCHESTRAL:
Kwela Concerto, 4 pennywhistles, rhythm section, percussion, string orchestra, 2004
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Music for Tenor Saxophone and Piano, tenor saxophone, piano, 1981
Landscape, trombone, fixed media, 1995
lines, fragments, machines, violin, synthesizer, percussion, fixed media, 1996, revised 1998
Sketches, flute, marimba, 1997
Four African Scenes, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1999
Balafo (Études in African Rhythm), 2 marimbas, 1999
Kleine Chronik, clarinet, piano, 1999
Zwei Konstruktionen, oboe, cello, 1999
Tekweni Suite, 4 saxophones, 2003
CHORAL:
Dona nobis pacem, 4 mixed voices, flute, double bass, piano, percussion, 1986
Missa Brevis, 3 boys' voices, flute, cello, harpsichord, 2 drums from Africa, 1991
VOCAL:
Stations (The Way of the Cross) (text by Johann Boshoff), bass, speaker, piano, harpsichord, percussion, string quartet, 2002
PIANO:
Music for Two Pianists, 2 pianos, 1983
Préludes in African Rhythm, 1992–2000
Home, 2000
Five South African Ragtimes, 2001
African Miniatures: Music for Young Pianists, 2005
ARRANGEMENTS:
Tischlied (Max Eberwein), 4 mixed voices, piano, 1986
Walil' umtwana (Welcome Duru), 4 mixed voices, 1986
Mit Lieb bin ich umfangen (Johann Steuerlein), 4 mixed voices, 1986
Tant' Hessie-Volkies (traditional melodies in Afrikaans), 3 mixed voices, 1986
3 works (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)–3 township compositions (Kwela Tebza), 4 pennywhistles, rhythm section, percussion, string orchestra, 2004
Izintombi zaseKwatazi (traditional Zulu melody), 4 mixed voices
DISCOGRAPHY (as arranger/producer)
No Boundaries (Ladysmith Black Mambazo [includes Dona nobis pacem by Isak Roux; Walil' umtwana (Welcome Duru/Isak Roux)]). Ladysmith Black Mambazo; Ralf Gothóni/English Chamber Orchestra (Heads Up International/Gallo South Africa, 2004)
DISCOGRAPHY (as composer)
Four African Scenes. Domus Quintett (Dolphin Records: CD70043, 1999)
African Journal (various pieces). Isak Roux, piano (mp3.com, 2000)
Eine Hand voll Erde (various pieces). Isak Roux, piano (GEMA, 2000)
Piano Afrika: Isak Roux plays traditional folk songs. Isak Roux, piano (Rhythm, 2001)
Piano Afrika 2: Honky Tonk Solo. Isak Roux, piano (GEMA, 2002)
Township Guitar from Préludes in African Rhythm. Peter von Wienhardt, piano (Edition Musikat, 2002)
Tekweni Suite. Saxofourte (BMG/Ariola Classics, 2004)