Jan Bouws

Date: 28 July, 1902

On 28 July 1902 Jan Bouws was born in Purmerend, Holland. He trained in Musicology at the University of Amsterdam and on completion of his studies became a lecturer at the Watergraafsmeerse Schoolvereniging in the east of Amsterdam. During his student years in Amsterdam, Bouws developed a simple system to teach piano called “Het eertse Pianoboek, 12 Liedjes voor Piano, Het tweede Pianoboek, Het derde Pianoboek en 20 Speelliedjes van Overal” (The first piano book, Twelve songs for the piano, The second piano book, The third piano book and 20 songs from everywhere). This system is still used today.

Jan and his wife Juliana immigrated to South Africa in 1960 where he was appointed as a lecturer of Music at the University of Stellenbosch.In 1965, he received his D Phil degree and continued to lecture until 1972.  Bouws' contribution to South African music was enormous: he made significant additions to the South African Music Encyclopaedia, Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart and the Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa. He also published many articles on music history and musicology in international journals from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Hungary and Switzerland. Bouws, who was fluent in both Afrikaans and English, became especially known for composing the song Op my ou ramkietjie (text by C.L. Leipoldt).

He died on 26 January 1978 in Parow in the Western Cape.

References:

1. Inteko (SAHO contribute), ‘Jan Bouws’[online] Available at www.intekom.com [Accessed: 20 July 20, 2011]
2. Stellenbosch Writers,‘Jan Bouws’ [online] Available at www.stellenboschwriters.com[Accessed: 20 July 2011]