There is always a mountain… or a long passage way with an end you don’t know if it should be your destination. Today I found out that that foreign territory is somebody else’s every day life and comfort zone. If you give it(or them) a chance there is always a good samaritan who will point […]

What went right?What went wrong?What needs a second chance?(dream on…) I really wanted to feel depressed and sorry for myself last week: ✔️how hard I work, ✔️how much stuff was still left to do and ✔️how I failed at what was important to me.Then I started making a list starting from January and it did […]

December is when everything falls in place. My year planner is laid out with holidays, crazy days and work. And I know I only use a day-planner Jan-Feb-March but it makes me feel my ducks are aligning. I decided to share my one song that stood out as a duck not to be missed: ‘Twee […]

This is exactly what happened last week when I needed a written press release fast and I have a (brilliant)grade 12 student in need of money because he is done with exams and on his way to Plett Rage… 20 minutes later… a masterpiece. I really hope this happens more often… “When thinking about South […]

Last week I found two men in the Stellenbosch University Museum Art Gallery who were very interested in the Jazz show. “Can’t I sing Queen of the Night opera? How about Afrikaans? Or Original music? … in Namibia?” Yessss… but not all on one night and I am worried about the wine glasses shattering(besides I […]

Failing Forward: I recently made a study of how failing can become part of your success(Will Smith is an expert on failing ‘I work the hardest’). Then I realized failing is what raises you up to the higher level you need to become successful. If you haven’t failed enough, you haven’t earned your way to […]

Eine Kleine Nachtmuzik… ring a bell? then you know what I am talking about. His music will forever live on. Even though his grave is unmarked and he died rich in music, poor in money… I recently attended a House Concert “Mozart Piano Trios”: what a treat! Cupcakes and High Tea sandwiches done right. No […]

Last Thursday was special. It started on Wednesday when I had to kill a phone call in the last 5 minutes of my last psychology class: it was Danie Keet from the Eikestadnuus Newspaper“Marthie what are you doing tomorrow? Because we are having an Inspiration women’s day event and from the nominations your name came […]

needs Jazz like that…Join us for an hour of #JazzFridays in November featuring Marthie Nel Hauptfleisch & Winston Siljeur band. 5-6pm, 1,8,15,22 Nov., 52 Ryneveld str(Ou Bloemhof), Stellenbosch. Bring your own wine, picnic boxes can be preordered. Early Bird/Groups/Student/Seniors Tickets.marthienel.com/bookings/ I recently put to music a couple of Tao Te Ching Verses. Verse 17 reminds […]

Of South Africans emerging from the ashes of negativity and airplane-tickets bought to promised lands. It is people who are not ‘left behind’ but who ‘choose to stay’.This takes elbow grease and a loose tongue: telling stories and learning each other’s culture and language. Pam was the young women with the friendly smile at Engen. […]