Johan Botes is known for his extraordinary versatility as a soloist, collaborative musician, and teacher; a career which has brought him recognition in concerts around the world. A native of South Africa, Botes showed musical promise from an early age. Among many notable awards in his native country, he was the 2007 First Prize Winner of the Third UNISA/Vodacom National Piano Competition playing Rachmaninoff’s technically demanding Third Piano Concerto to a standing ovation; a performance for which he also won the Desmond Willson Memorial Prize for best concerto in the final round. Most recently, he was chosen as 2nd Prizewinner in the national American Prize non-profit competition for the performing arts in both the solo and concerto divisions. 

 

An accomplished organist, he passed the Performers Licentiate in Organ of UNISA in 2006 with the highest distinction available and was invited for the overseas bursary competition, where he was awarded the Stephanus Zondagh Overseas Music Scholarship. In February 2023, he completed a world-premiere recording of Florence Price’s organ and choral music (Wander-Thirst: The Choral Music of Florence Price), a Compact Disc that has also been nominated for a Grammy award (choral division). Most recently, he performed a solo organ recital at the Cathedral or Christ the Light in Oakland, CA. 

 

As a soloist, Botes has performed in venues worldwide. He has appeared as soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa, the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban, Juneau Symphony (AK), Bainbridge Symphony (WA), Auburn Symphony (WA) as well as the Texas Chamber Orchestra. He also performed in Prague with the Hadrec Kralove Orchestra and toured to Bulgaria in 2005 where he played with the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra. 

 

Dr. Botes holds a D.M.A in Piano Performance from the University of Texas at Austin and a M.M from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He received another M.M. as well as his B.M. from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He is currently Associate Professor of Music at Marshall University in Huntington, WV. During the summers, he is also the Piano Area Coordinator at Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, USA. He is currently organist at Kanawha Presbyterian Church in Charleston, WV.