Dr. Wilhelm Lichtenberg collaborating in studio

About

Collaborations

Dr Wilhelm Lichtenberg

It starts with -

Collaborations

Dr Lichtenberg is a real people person and has built up an immense network of friends, colleagues, fans and talented musicians over the years. He has been fortunate enough to have worked and collaborated with some world-class and award-winning artists and groups.

Collaboration Partner

Brian May

Brian May, CBE, PhD, FRAS is a founding member of Queen, a world-renowned guitarist, songwriter, producer and performer, also a Doctor of Astrophysics, 3-D stereoscopic photographic authority and a passionate advocate and campaigner for animal rights.

Brian Harold May was born on July 19, 1947, in Hampton, Middlesex, England, to parents Ruth and Harold May. An imaginative teen, May, with the help of his father, built his own homemade guitar, dubbed “The Red Special.” The guitar, which was made from makeshift materials including firewood and was played with a six-pence coin for a pick, would later figure prominently in May's musical career. He would go on to play it on every Queen album and live show.

Accomplished Astronomy student Brian's PhD studies were stalled when a musical career superseded.

Accomplished Astronomy student Brian's PhD studies were stalled when a musical career superseded. The following four decades have seen Queen amass a staggering list of sales and awards with a catalogue that consistently tops popularity polls and sees Queen remain the most successful albums act in UK chart history. Brian has penned 22 Queen top 20 hits, among them the powerful ballads 'Who Wants to Live Forever', 'No-One but You' and 'Save Me', along with anthems 'The Show Must Go On', 'I Want It All' and 'We Will Rock You.'

He retains his keen passion for Astronomy and after a 30-year break returned to Astrophysics to update his doctoral thesis on the Motions of Interplanetary Dust, achieving his PhD from Imperial College, London, in 2007. Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005 for 'services to the Music Industry' and for his charity work, Sir Brian May is patron to a number of charities, also a vice president of the RSPCA.

Collaboration Partner

The Tygerberg Children's Choir

Now in its 49th year, the choir, based in Cape Town's Northern Suburbs and under the baton of Karina Erasmus, has taken lovers of choral music on a very special musical journey. The choir is one of South Africa's proudest export products. The choir, under the direction of the highly acclaimed choir leader Hennie Loock, has won every major international choral competition since its inception in 1972 and its unsurpassed legato singing, maturity of sound, musical power and dynamic interpretation of very difficult material makes Tygerberg Children's Choir a foremost exponent in the world of international competition choirs. The choir has a vast legacy of excellent choral CDs as testimony of its prowess.

In July 2010 year the choir was crowned World Champions and received gold medals in the Folklore and Music of the Religions categories at the 6th World Choir Games in Shaoxing, China.

Collaboration Partner

The Soweto Gospel Choir

The Soweto Gospel Choir was formed in November, 2002 by David Mulovhedzi and Beverly Brye. The choir was formed to celebrate the unique and inspirational power of African gospel music. The choir draws on the best talent from the many churches in and around Soweto, South Africa's famous township, mixing earthy rhythms with rich harmonies to uplift the soul and express the energy of their homeland. By blending elements of African gospel, traditional spirituals, and American popular music, the choir shares the joy of faith through music with audiences around the world.

In December, 2002 their first album “Voices of Heaven” was recorded and went on to reach the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s World Music Chart within 3 weeks of its release in the US.

In 2003 the choir won its first award, a Helpmann Award, Australia’s prestigious Performing Arts Award, for “Best Contemporary Music Concert”.

This success was followed when they won a 2003 American Gospel Music Award for “Best Choir”. In the same year, they won an American Gospel Music Award for “Best International Choir”.

They performed for President Bill Clinton at a corporate function in Little Rock, Arkansas and in October 2006, the choir performed as invited guests for their Patron, Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 75th Birthday Celebrations, in front of an illustrious audience which included former President Nelson Mandela, Mrs. Zanele Mbeki, Tokyo Sexwale, Samuel L Jackson, Alfre Woodard and Carlos Santana.

On 11 February 2007, Soweto Gospel Choir received its greatest accolade, a Grammy Award for their second CD “Blessed”, in the category “Best Traditional World Music”.

In 2019, SGC collaborated with several top South African artists such as Lady Zamar, Rebecca Malope, Idol’s winner Yanga and Amanda Black as well as performing with international artist Ben Harper on his South Africa tour. And the choir started 2020 by welcoming home Miss Universe 2019, Zozibini Tunzi, followed by singing at Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Pieters and Tim Tebow’s wedding ceremony in Franschoek.

Collaboration Partner

Riaan Steyn

Riaan Steyn is a classical pianist and organist. He obtained a Bachelor's and Master's Degree, as well as Licentiate (Cum Laude), from the University of Stellenbosch and is working on a PhD at the same institution. Riaan is also an arranger, orchestrator, composer and music producer that worked on more than 500 albums up to date (of which many won awards both locally and internationally), various TV productions and music for advertisements for some of the biggest corporate companies globally. Traxtudio Holdings International started off in the bedroom of Riaan Steyn in 1994. He is still the CEO of the group today which grew to an international corporate media and entertainment specialist company with branches in South Africa, Namibia, Australia and Europe.

Riaan has composed music for a few of Doctor Wilhelm Lichtenberg's songs, including "Who wants to live forever" featuring Wilhelm Lichtenberg, Brian May, Kerry Elis and The Soweto Gospel Choir.

Collaboration Partner

Elzaan Coetzee

Elzaan Coetzee is a Cape Town based violin teacher, specialising in the education of children. After studying violin performance with Prof Jack de Wet and attaining her music degree at the University of Stellenbosch (Cum Laude), she taught at the acclaimed Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre from 1999 until 2005, after which she established her private violin studio. She's passionate about teaching young children, and also to instill a love for music in them, which will be supported with a solid violin technique from an early age.

She performs and records on a regular basis with SA's top performers, as well as international artists – the latest being Wilhelm Lichtenberg, Brian May (Queen), Kerry Ellis and the Soweto Gospel Choir. Some of her previous performances include performing as a soloist with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, being part of the performing group for Afrikaans is Groot (2011-2018), Gospel Skouspel and Versnit.