Marlene Watkins ≈ Dream it See it Achieve it
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Biographical
Marlene started her musical journey at the
age of five when she used to travel from Umbilo
into central Durban by bus, to see her teacher
Miss Middleborough.
The family moved to Otjiwarango in SWA, and lessons were interrupted for a time.
They returned to Durban when Marlene was twelve, and she resumed her lessons with Miss Middleborough, and later with Miss Sivertson.
Her Grandfather, Oupa van Rensburg, gave her an
Otto Bach piano, because by this time it became
very clear that Marlene had received a precious gift,
and she was using it to the maximum extent possible.
She went on to enter many eisteddfods and competitions and reached the final round of the SABC National Music Competition.
At times she competed against formidable musicians like Anton Nel and the late Marc Raubenheimer.
Marlene also participated in musical theatre and studied at the Anne Freed School for Drama.
When she left school at the age of seventeen, the Provincial Inspector of Music recommended her for a teaching post at Port Natal and later at Dirkie Uys primary schools. This was already a great honour and was followed by an appointment at Port Natal High School at the age of nineteen.
The Otto Bach
Wits and
Beethoven
An interesting story from Marlene's days at Wits.
Her academic and professional achievements did not lag behind her practical accomplishments.
Accompanist, performer and writer.
Improvisor
Marlene has students of all ages and especially enjoys the interaction with adult learners.
All this did not just happen by accident. Consider what she has achieved against the backdrop of raising three children, moving house several times between Kempton Park, Kroonstad, Empangeni and Phalaborwa. Setting up and running her own studio in each of these towns, and sometimes teaching at the local school.
See the short clip below of a production she staged in Kroonstad where the whole school was involved.
Underneath her beautiful smile and quiet demeanour, there's a ton of grit and she doesn't easily take things lying down. The music studios that she established over the years, bear witness to this.
When Covid struck, she continued classes via zoom and even did the year-end concert on-line.
Prinses Rooselyn
Lockdown Concert.