Andre Petersen

Andre Petersen (28 January 1978 – 22 July 2021) was a South African pianists and educator.

Petersen was a recipient of numerous classical and jazz awards, including first prize in the Old Mutual Jazz Encounters Competition (2002), the SAMRO Overseas Piano Scholarship Competition (2009), the Oppenheimer Overseas Scholarship (2010) and the Vuya Foundation Scholarship Award (2011). Andre received a Special Mention Award at the prestigious Parisian 2011 Concours de Piano-jazz Martial Solal Competition, where he was the only African to be selected from 68 international pianists.

Andre's recording and performance credits include working with Grammy-nominated American vibraphonist Stefon Harris, Reggie Washington, Dave Liebman, Dave Young, Morten Halle, Oppi Bellas, Jazz Jamaica (UK) featuring Soweto Kinch, Denys Baptiste, members of the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra and the Norwegian avant-garde band Soyr. Closer to home, he has worked with some of South Africa's leading musicians, including Winston Mankunku, Makaya Mtshoko, Feya Faku, Robbie Jansen, Kesivan & The Lights, Judith Sephuma, Marcus Wyatt, Carlo Mombelli, Alvin Dyers, Errol Dyers, Jimmy Dludlu and many others.

Andre has had numerous celebrated performances at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Grahamstown Festival and the Joy of Jazz. He has performed internationally at the IAJE Conference in New York with Dave Liebman and Dr Mike Rossi, the Oslo International Jazz Festival in Norway, as well as jazz festivals in Italy, France, Holland, Sweden, Switzerland, Mexico and Japan. Andre has also performed as guest soloist with the Grammy-nominated group Zap Mama in France, Italy, Norway and Belgium. He has recorded and performed with the Morten Halle Group in Norway and Sweden. Under the direction of conductor Lungile Jacobs, Andre toured Sweden and London with the choir Voices of Cape Town. He composed and performed for the Cape Town Ghoema Orchestra (2011-2012) under the direction of Mac Mckenzie.

Petersen’s role as musical director/arranger for The City Hall Sessions (2012) saw him work with artists like Morris Goldberg, Zolani Mahola (Freshly Ground), Khaya Mahlangu, Errol Dyers, Kesivan Naidoo, poet/actor David Isaacs, and members of the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra in paying tribute to SA jazz composers. As part of the Mellon Foundation Jazz Heritage Project, Andre held electrifying concerts at the Rhodes University Music Department in 2012 and 2013 alongside trumpeter Feya Faku, as well as Andre’s trio, consisting of award-winning artists Kesivan Naidoo and Shane Cooper.