St John’s College pianist plays to second place
Dylan Price took the silver medal at the 16th Hennie Joubert National Piano Competition, making his trip to Stellenbosch even more memorable.
Curiosity and dedication earned St John’s College learner and pianist Dylan Price second prize at the 16th Hennie Joubert National Piano Competition.
At the competition, held at the Stellenbosch Konservatorium’s recently, Dylan also received an award for Best Performance of a Baroque work, further highlighting his musical artistry and versatility. The pianist noted that the prizes were a pleasant surprise.
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“I did not expect any prizes, and ignored those thoughts altogether, because they usually distract me from playing to the best of my ability. It was very fun, educational, and useful for me, even though it was my first time. I love Stellenbosch itself and going to play there was even better.”
Established in 1984, the prestigious biennial competition welcomes pianists up to the age of 18. Grethe Nöthling, piano teacher, said he was proud of Dylan’s achievement in receiving second prize.
“Dylan is an enthusiastic and positive student who approaches every lesson with curiosity and dedication. He is always eager to explore new musical and technical concepts. It is a real joy to teach a young musician with such passion, commitment, and openness to learning.”
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This is not the first competition for Dylan. He’s competed in the Atterbury National Piano Competition for 5 years in a row since 2021, the Hubert van der Spuy Music Competition in 2024, the Victoria K Bennet Music Competition in 2025, and the international Piano Competition for Young Musicians in the Netherlands.
“I think my favourite accolade was competing in my first international competition,” Dylan said, “because it showed me what competitors from around the world are like and what it takes to become a successful concert pianist. It was an amazing experience.”
Dylan concluded that he was preparing for this year’s Atterbury competition in October, which is always exciting.
“I am also preparing for the National Youth Music Competition in December for my first time, and I am planning to compete in a couple more international competitions in 2027 in Germany and the US.”
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