Classical star

Petronel Malan is a well-known South African classical concert pianist who moved to the USA in 1991. She was born in 1974 in Pretoria and debuted with the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra at the age of 10. She is working on a CD to be released later this year in hounour of Mozart's 250th birthday anniversary. Her previous CD, Transfigured Bach: The Complete Bach Transcriptions of Bartok, Lipatti and Friedman, was nominated for three Grammy awards in 2004, including best instrumental solo album. Later this year she will perform in China, Canada and Europe. Petronel was the youngest protegé of the South African music teacher Adolph Hallis. During her universit studies in the US, she won many bursaries and awards. She has performed in Carnegie Recital Hall, Salle Cortot in Paris, the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Orchestra Hall in Chicago. Petronel wears South African designs (Henja Schaap and Hip Hop) for her performances. Her sister Annie Malan is an acclaimed South African actress. Petronel lives near Dallas, Texas and is dating Brazilian concert pianist, Jose Feghali.