Martin Hesse

During my high-school years at King Edwards in Johannesburg, I studied piano privately, but at school was more interested in science.  After a disastrous year attempting a BSc at Witz, I was called up for military service in July 1977 and joined the Services School brass band at Voortrekkerhoogte, learning to play the trumpet.  Although the standard of music making was not very high, the enthusiasm for things musical was, and it stimulated me to make music my career.

On leaving the army, I enrolled for BMus at UCT.  There I studied piano under Molly Warr and did a couple of years of clarinet under Jimmy Reinders.  I took composition with Peter Klatzow, winning a few composition prizes along the way, and went o n to obtain my BMus Honours in composition in 1984.

At a bit of a loose end, and not sure I could be a full-time composer, I joined the SABC in Auckland Park in 1985 as a radio sound controller.  Once in the SABC, I moved within a year into the then flourishing music department.

My career took me from music compiler on radio programmes such as Midday Concert and Jazz  Date to music producer at the studios in Cape Town, where I recorded major local and international artists as well as showcasing young talent coming up from our schools and universities.  I regularly recorded the CTSO Thursday evening concerts as well as producing many memorable live broadcasts from Cape Town City Hall, mostly with my SAfm colleague John Orr presenting.  I also compiled and produced programmes such as  The Intimate Art, revealing the treasures of chamber music; Music Now, o n the world of contemporary music; the Music Makers; an in-depth documentary programme o n musical topics from Bach to the Beatles.

During these years I studied part-time through Unisa, completing a BA in Communications.  I also met my beautiful wife-to-be, Erica who worked in the SABC’s advertising department – we tied the knot in 1993.

I have subsequently become a journalist, working at Independent Newspapers, first as a freelance writer and sub-editor with the commercial features department, then as a sub-editor with Cape Community Newspapers, and now as a layout sub-editor o n the Cape Argus.

The trips I take down to FMR to compile a breakfast show once a week for former SABC colleague Rodney Trudgeon – and doing any other compiling that may come my way – keep me in touch with the wonderful worlds of radio and music.