Hendrik Pienaar Hofmeyr (born 20 November 1957) is a South African composer. Born in Cape Town, he studied at the South African College of Music at the University of Cape Town, obtaining a BMus in 1979 and an MMus in 1991. He furthered his studies in Italy during 10 years of self-imposed exile as a conscientious objector, obtaining State Diplomas in Piano (Florence), Composition (Bologna) and Conducting (Florence) While there, he was awarded the Zucchelli Prize for Composition at the Bologna Conservatorio two years running and also won the South African Opera Competition with The Fall of the House of Usher. He also received the annual Nederburg Prize for Opera for this work subsequent to its performance at the State Theatre in Pretoria in 1988. In the same year, he obtained first prize in an international competition in Italy with music for a short film by Wim Wenders. He returned to South Africa in 1992, taking up a post as lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch. In 1997, he won two major international composition competitions, the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition of Belgium (with 'Raptus' for violin and orchestra) and the first edition of the Dimitris Mitropoulos Competition in Athens (with 'Byzantium' for high voice and orchestra). He returned to his alma mater as senior lecturer in 1998, obtaining a DMus there in 1999. and retiring as Professor and Head of Composition and Theory in 2022. His 'Incantesimo' for solo flute was selected to represent South Africa at the ISCM World Music Days in Croatia in 2005. In 2008 he was honoured with a Kanna award by the Kleinkaroo National Arts Festival. He received the UCT Creative Arts Award for his Second Symphony – The Elements in 2018. Hofmeyr’s oeuvre, which comprises operas, orchestral, choral, vocal and instrumental works, includes some 150 commissions. Many of his works have been published abroad and issued on CD. In 2021, Partita africana, a CD of his works, was chosen as Discovery of the Month by the French magazine Classica; in 2023, another CD featuring three of his works was selected as Contemporary CD of the Week on Radio France. Hofmeyr was awarded the prestigious triennial Hubert Rupert Prize for Classical Music in 2025 by the South African Academy of Science and Art for his contribution to music.
Works
Stage The Fall of the House of Usher (1-act chamber opera, libretto by the composer, after Edgar Allan Poe), lyric soprano, 1–2 tenors, bass-baritone, flute (+ piccolo, alto flute), oboe (+ English horn), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), bassoon, French horn, 2 percussion, harp, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 1987 Vala – A Metaphysical Ballet (scenario by the composer, after William Blake), large orchestra, 1989 The Land of Heart's Desire (1-act chamber opera, libretto by the composer, after William Butler Yeats), soprano leggero, lyric soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass, flute (+ piccolo, alto flute), oboe (+ English horn), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), bassoon, French horn, 2 percussion, harp, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 1989 (rev. 2010) Alice (3-act ballet, scenario by the composer, after Lewis Carroll), large orchestra, 1990–91 (a suite was arranged; also versions of Tango for 3 clarinets, 3 violins, cello, piano 4 hands and violin, viola, cello, piano; versions of some sections for 2 pianos) Lumukanda (3-act opera, libretto by the composer, after Credo Mutwa), 4 sopranos, 3 mezzo-sopranos, alto, 3 tenors, baritone, 2 basses, mixed chorus, large orchestra, 1993–96 Die Laaste Aand (1-act chamber opera, libretto by the composer, after C.L. Leipoldt), lyric soprano, tenor, 2 baritones, 2 basses, flute, oboe (+ English horn), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), bassoon (+ contrabassoon), French horn, percussion, string quartet, double bass, 2001 Saartjie (1-act monodrama, libretto by the composer), soprano, off-stage chorus, flute (+ piccolo), oboe (+ English horn), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), bassoon (+ contrabassoon), French horn, trumpet, trombone, timpani, 2 percussion, strings (3.3.3.2.2), 2009 Hemp van vlam (1-act monodrama, on poems by Sheila Cussons), soprano, clarinet, piano, 2017 Sara Baartman (3-act opera, libretto by the composer), soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 tenors, 2 baritones, bass, chorus, flute (+ piccolo), oboe (+ English horn), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), bassoon (+ contrabassoon), French horn, trumpet, trombone, timpani, 2 percussion, harp, strings (3.3.3.2.2), 2019
Orchestral Immagini da 'Il cielo sopra Berlino''', small orchestra (21 players), 1988Alice, large orchestra, 1996 (suite from ballet)Raptus, violin, orchestra, 1997Ingoma, 1998 Apocalypsis, large orchestra, 1998 Concerto per pianoforte e orchestra, 1999 Concerto per flauto e orchestra, 1999Simulacrum, large orchestra, 2000Umkulo Wemvula (Rainmusic), 2001 Concerto for Flute, Violin and String orchestra, 2002 Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, 2004 Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, 2006Partita africana (comprising Preludio, Umsindo and Ingoma) 2007 Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, 2010 Concerto for Baritone Saxophone and Orchestra, 2010Kasi – An Introduction to the Orchestra, 2011 Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, 2012 Concerto for Flute, Harp and String Orchestra, 2012 (also version for flute, harp and string quintet, 2012) Concerto for Recorder, String Orchestra and Harpsichord, 2012 Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra, 2014 Concerto for Recorder, Harpsichord and Orchestra, 2016 Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra, 2016 Symphony II - The Elements, 2017Autumn Concerto for bassoon and orchestra, 2019Concerto for Oboe, Strings and Percussion, 2021Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra, 2023Concerto for Guitar and Chamber Orchestra, 2023Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra, 2024 Valedictione, 2025Concerto for Two Pianos and String Orchestra, 2026
Chamber musicWonderland Suite, oboe, piano, 1977Cavatina, flute, piano, 1980Partita canonica, clarinet, 1983Die Lied van Juanita Perreira, cello, piano, 1985Cadenza, cello, 1994Incantesimo, flute, 1996 (also version for tenor recorder, 2002)Nelle mani d'Amduscias, violin, 1996Notturno elegiaco, harp, 1996 (also versions for flute, cello, piano, 1998; violin, cello, piano, 2003)Tango, 3 clarinets, 3 violins, cello, piano 4 hands, 1997 (version of section of Alice; also versions for violin, viola, cello, piano, 2003; for 6 cellos, 2003) First String Quartet, 1998Ingoma for 4 recorders, 2000 (also versions for string quartet, 2010; 4 flutes, 2014; 4 violas, 2014)Luamerava, violin, 2000Marimba, flute, 2000Scherzetto, alto recorder, 2000Luanaledi, alto recorder (+ tenor recorder), 2001Partita contrappuntistica, viola, 2001 (also versions for violin, cello, 2021)Il poeta e l'usignolo, flute, guitar, 2004 (also version for flute, harp, 2005)Amar(tan)go, cello, double bass, 2004 (also versions for cello, piano, 2005; double bass, piano, 2005; violin, piano, 2009; viola, piano, 2020; alto saxophone, piano, 2021)Crucifixus, cello, organ, 2004Variations on a Chorale, flute, organ, 2005 Second String Quartet, 2006 Sonata for horn and piano, 2006 Sonata for flute and piano, 2006 (also version for violin, piano, 2008)Variations on an African Lullaby, violin (or flute or cello), 2007Lachrymae, guitar, 2007Rapsodia notturna, guitar, piano, 2007Endymion and the Moon, violin, harp, 2008 Trio, violin, cello, piano, 2008 Sonata I for violin and piano, 2008It takes two..., flute, cello, piano, 2009 (also versions for clarinet, cello, piano, 2018; flute, violin, piano, 2018; clarinet, violin, piano, 2018; clarinet bass trombone, piano, 2018; trumpet, tenor trombone, piano, 2018; clarinet, viola, piano, 2024; flute, clarinet, piano, 2025) Il giardino delle Esperidi, 5 flutes, alto flute, bass flute, 2009 Lied van die Somerwind (Song of the Summer Wind), flute, violin, 2009 Canto notturno, clarinet piano, 2010Mabalêl – Fantasia on the poem by Eugène Marais, flute, piano, 2010 Trio, flute (or violin), clarinet (or viola or cello), piano, 2010 Tango languido, lever harp, 2010 Umlolozelo, guitar, 2010Hartbreekrivier and Umsindo, vibraphone, marimba, 2010 Trio II, flute (violin), clarinet (viola/cello), piano, 2011Elegia, flute, harp, 2011 5 Chorale Preludes, organ, 2011Diablerie, viola, guitar, 2012 Concerto for Flute, Harp & String Quintet, 2012 Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, 2013 Sonata for Cello and Piano, 2013 Fiaba 2 flutes and marimba, 2015 (also version for flute, violin and marimba, 2018)Ludzimu – Trio for violin, bassoon and piano, 2015 Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, 2015 Mokete (Celebration), 6 percussionists, 2015 Three Pieces for Flute and Piano, 2016 Sonata for Vibraphone and Marimba, 2016 Sonata for Viola and Piano, 2017 Divertimento, flute and string trio, 2017 Concerto for Piano & 7 Instruments, 2017 Sonata for Double Bass and Piano – Naka ya lethlaka, 2017 Necromancer for alto saxophone, piano, 2018 Sonata for Trombone and Piano, 2018 Sonata for Two Guitars, 2019 Sonata for Vibraphone and Piano, 2019 Gilgamesh weeps for Enkidu, duduk, flute, viola, harp, 2020Saint Francis and the birds, flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, horn, bassoon, 2021 Three dances, oboe, soprano saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, 2025The rebirth of Noliyanda, 2021 Kalembe – Wizard-Lord of the Wakambi, 2021 Kemet, alto saxophone, piano, 2023Wupperthal, 2023 Daphnis and Pan, flute, bassoon, 2025Legenda, 2 flutes, alto flute, 2025 Quartet for Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano, 2025Des ténèbres (Uit donker dieptes), organ, 2026
PianoNag, 1981–83Die Dans van die Reën, 1985 Four Pieces from Alice, 2 pianos, 1998 (version of music from the ballet) Chaconne, 1999The Four-Note Waltz, 2 pianos, 2000 Toccata, 2001 Variations on a Mazurka of Chopin, 2002 Notturno, 2003 Sonata for Two Pianos, 2004March of the Lilliputians, 2006Partita africana (Preludio, Umsindo, River of Sorrow, Kalunga), 1999–2006 Preludio, 2011 Sonata, 2011 Variations on an African lullaby, 2011 Ballata africana, 2014 Homecoming, 2015 Fantasia sopra Senzeni na, 2016 Partita romantica (Prelude, Etude, Nocturne, Elegie), 2018Rumba congolaise, 2024Passacaglia on the name of James May, 2024 Postcard Preludes, 2025 Dragonfly, 2026