Assistant Professor of Flute - University of Massachusetts Amherst, Principal Flute - Boulder Chamber Orchestra
19.5K CUSTOM FLUTE, In-line, d-sharp roller, C-sharp trill, 19.5K headjoint, N cut, 18K wall
South African native Cobus du Toit is praised for technical facility that makes everything look easy (Opus Colorado) and rich tone that is especially impressive (Herald Tribune). Pretoria News declared: “du Toit makes you believe the impossible. With du Toit in flight one is never aware of technique alone. He is driven by purely musical inspiration.”
Mr. du Toit’s work is featured in a year-long exhibition at the Massachusetts Museum of Modern Art together with Carly Simon, James Tayler and Natasha Bedingfield. His humanitarian impetus is evident in the #WeBringFlowers project, a set of 6 socially conscious commissions that deal with societal violence in a non-political manner. The project is a conscious coming together to create a room of peace that can serve as a catalyst for change. Other creative projects include the recording of the complete flute oeuvre by Jacques Castérède for the Naxos label.
As a concerto soloist Mr. du Toit has performed with orchestras around the globe. Prominent appearances include the KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic, International Symphony Orchestra “Taurida” (St. Petersburg, Russia), Boulder Philharmonic, Johannesburg Festival Orchestra and Boulder Chamber Orchestra. Du Toit is also the principal flute for Boulder Chamber Orchestra.
Mr. Du Toit has been a prize winner at the 1st UNISA Southern African National Competition for Woodwinds and Brass, the Byron Hester Competition, the Myrna Brown Competition and the SAMRO International Scholarship Competition. As an international soloist, Cobus has performed in Taiwan, Russia, Japan, South Africa, Germany, France and the USA.
Mr. Du Toit is currently the flute player of the Antero Winds, a Colorado based professional woodwind quintet that has been prizewinners at both the Plowman and Fischoff Chamber Music Competitions. The Antero Winds has done extensive teaching artist work with the Aspen Music Festival in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado. Mr. du Toit self-produced two recordings available for purchase through major online platforms. Tríptico with classical guitarist Patrick Sutton and Mythavian with pianist Doreen Lee explore the expanding possibilities for these ensembles with commissioned works and an emphasis on works written in the 21st century.
Mr. Du Toit holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pretoria where he studied flute under Professor John Hinch and graduated with a Doctoral Degree in Flute Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado. He also received his Masters Degree from the same institution where he studied under Christina Jennings. Mr. du Toit serves as the Director of Artistic Planning at the Longy School of Music of Bard College and is also the Assistant Professor of Flute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is a Haynes Artist, and also represents the Wm. S. Haynes flute company as an Ambassador Clinician.