The PANGEA STRING QUARTET (PSQ) is a Johannesburg-based chamber ensemble which strives to inspire and engage audiences by presenting key works in the string quartet repertoire. With diligent focus, constant curiosity and drawing on the experience and interpretations of each of its members, the PSQ creates an environment which honours the traditions of the repertoire being explored, while promoting a cohesive perspective which is uniquely theirs. The PSQ draws its name from the “Pangea”, a name given to the hypothesised single contiguous supercontinent before the continents drifted apart. This is consistent with their ethos of one-mind with equal respect, where “borderless” healthy discourse enables their pursuit of excellence.

SRDJAN ‘SERGE’ CUCA

violin

Srdjan ‘Serge’ Cuca was born in the former Yugoslavia. He started violin at the age of 7 and in 1975 the family arrived in South Africa. After completing high school, he went on to finish his BMus degree at the University of the Witwatersrand and later, having completed his military service moved to Cape Town in 1991, became a member of the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra. During this time he also completed his Post Graduate Performers Diploma at UCT and in 1994 became the Associate Leader of the CTSO, a position which he held until its closure. He was also the Associate Concertmaster of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra until 2000. In 2005 he returned to Johannesburg and was a part-time violin lecturer at the University of Pretoria 2005-2011. Currently he is teaching privately, playing with the Johannesburg Philharmonic (JPO) as well as the JFO and is the leader of the JMI orchestra. Srdjan has performed as soloist with various orchestras country-wide, has recorded for SABC television and radio, and is an avid chamber musician. He has lead many musical productions such as Phantom of the Opera, Sound of Music, Annie and West Side Story, among others.

DIETER HENDRICKS

violin

Dieter began violin studies at the age of 7 with Ilse Klingelhofer in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, later studying with Doina Bruno, Gabrielle Stebbins and Leo Vleeschouwer. He gained distinctions in both the Trinity associate and licentiate performance diplomas. After spending some time overseas, he recently returned back to Johannesburg as an active member of the professional music circuit in Gauteng, playing regularly for the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO), Phoenix Orchestra, Applegreen Orchestra and Johannesburg Festival Orchestra,  along with session recording and chamber work. Dieter has a PhD in applied mathematics and machine learning, and was a full-time senior research fellow at the University of Oxford, where he remains an associate member, supervising post-graduate students and maintaining research collaborations with the Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance.

ELBÉ ROBERTS

viola

Elbé Roberts was born into a family of string players in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and went on to graduate from the University of the Free State with a B.Mus. degree. As a performer, she has traveled to many festivals around the world, including a performance with the South African National Youth Orchestra on Red Square, Moscow, participation in the Interlochen Arts Festival, Michigan, USA, and numerous chamber music concerts around South Africa. Local performance engagements include: Pacofs Orchestra (Bloemfontein); SPIER festival orchestra (Stellenbosch); COSA (Pretoria); JMI; JPO; JFO; Pro-Musica; ICMF & MIAGI Orchestra (Johannesburg); Barnyard Theatre; Town Talk; Phoenix Ensemble ( Johannesburg); Diamond Quartet (Grahamstown festival). During 2002, Elbé joined the first violin section of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and currently serves as the JPO's Co-Principal Leader. As a passionate educator, she believes music education can assist in the development of advantageous life skills in children, enhancing self- discipline and self-confidence.

GERRIT KOORSEN

cello

Gerrit Koorsen studied the cello with Tilla Henkins, Arend Brink and Michael Haller. He is a freelance player for orchestras in Gauteng and an active chamber musician. He also performs in contemporary music, jazz and pop settings and has contributed to the albums of local and international artists. Apart from his life as a cellist, Gerrit is a research scientist. He obtained his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, having been awarded a scholarship by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He is deputy head of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Johannesburg, where he leads a research team exploring molecular aspects of epigenetics.