ROCCO DE VILLIERS CAREER SYNOPSIS

Rocco de Villiers is a South African pianist, producer, composer, musical director and cocktail connoisseur. Rocco does regular concert tours throughout South Africa and gets featured in magazines, newspapers and gets regular television coverage. Some of Rocco’s cocktail recipies and his writings were included in various publications. He finished a B Mus ( Ed) degree at the University of the Free State, South Africa in 1987. He moved to Johanneburg in 1990 and became musical director at CLUB 58, a cult cabaret venue in Hillbrow, Johanneburg.

Rocco is owner and director of ROCCOROCCOMUSIC (est. 2004)  through which he produces all his stage productions. He is also co – owner and  co – director of Third Ear Sound (with Kutlwano Masote), which undertakes commissions in museum sound concept design.

Record Label:   Rocco Rocco Music

SOLO CD’S

  • screen test 1998
  • not a word (with sergio zampolli) 1990
  • era 2000
  • call me oldfashioned 2001
  • la scala 2003
  • if freud knew the steps 2005
  • never stop playing 2008
  • beautiful beautiful piano 2011
  • more beautiful piano 2012
  • beautiful piano – live DVD 2012
  • stunning 2013
  • countrykeys 2014
  • the beautiful collection 2015
  • beautiful beautiful hymns 2015
  • escape form the ordinary life ( single ) 2016
  • beautiful beautiful hymns 2 2017
  • kortbroek, langkouse 2018
  • beautiful beautiful favourites 2019
  • beautiful beautiful xmas  2019

SOLO INSTRUMENTAL STAGE PRODUCTIONS

  • beautiful beautiful favourites – 2019
  • just be yourself – 2018
  • amazing grace 2 – 2017
  • roccoralia – 2016
  • amazing grace – 2016
  • all about the piano – 2015
  • pure rocco – 2015
  • countryboy, almost – 2014
  • one rocco, two pianos – 2013
  • awesome  – 2013
  • stunning –  2013/2014
  • rocco de villiers in concert –emperors palace ( 2013)
  • beautiful piano – 2012
  • more beautiful piano – 2012
  • more beautiful than ever/mooier as mooi – 2012
  • beautiful beautiful piano – 2011
  • beeldskoon/but beautiful – 2011
  • it takes 2 – 2009
  • one rocco, one piano – 2008
  • rocco entertains – 2008
  • rocco’s future – 2007
  • liberocco: a liberace tribute – 2007
  • one rocco, one piano, one band – 2006
  • rocco on piano with guitar – 2006
  • rocband- 2006
  • momtails – 2005
  • la scala – 2004
  • rocco, bass & guitar – 2003
  • call me old fashioned – 2002
  • roctails – 2001
  • era  – 2000
  • the music that makes me dance – 1999
  • in concert with the national chamber orchestra at the sun city superbowl – 1998
  • on piano…rocco de villiers – 1997
  • jazz for you (PACT) – 1997
  • big ( a concerto for piano and orchestra in 2 movements) with the pacofs symphony orchestra, bloemfontein – 1997
  • performed works by gershwin and poulenc with pacofs symphony orchestra and johannesburg philharmonic orchestra (1983 -1999)

AWARDS

  • VONK AWARD  – 2011
  • TEMPO FOR MOST POPULAR INSTRUMENTAL – 2012
  • GHOEMA FOR BEST INTRUMENTAL CD  – 2016
  • AITSA AWARD BEST INSTRUMENTAL CD
  • NOMINATIONS FOR GERAAS, SAMA, GHOEMA AND CAPE THEATRE AWARD, KANNA ( 1998 – 2013 )

MUSIC VIDEOS

  • feelings
  • era/timothy
  • sarie marais
  • martini dreams
  • music box dancer
  • you raise me up
  • chariots of fire
  • edelweiss
  • kla 1 kla 2 kla 3 kla 4
  • jim muller keurspel no 1 (polka)
  • amazing grace
  • liewe hemel liewe aarde
  • kortbroek, langkouse
  • wat om te dra agter op ‘n bakkie

SHOWS WITH OTHER ARTISTS

Rocco also worked as accompanist and musical director with several South African artisits like Wendy Mseleku, Karin Hougaard, Elzabe Zietman, Nataniel, Alida White, Marloe Scott- Wilson, Gloria Bosman, Judy Page, Fiona Ramsey, Lydia vom Hagen, Karen Meiring  and Mimi Coertse.

Rocco was musical director on musicals like The Diary of Adrian Mole, You’re a good man Charlie Brown and Brommer in die Boord. He was also mucical director and conductor of the KKNK POPS from 1998 – 2001.

  • 2 concerts ( with nataniel)
  • jazz vir jou en n bietjie blou ( with amanda strydom)
  • not a word ( with accordionist sergio zampolli)
  • zantarocco ( with zanta hofmeyr and tonya selley )
  • die danie bosman storie ( with mynie grove, gloria bosman and joe niemand)
  • the roccoroccoshow ( with CH2 Guitar Duo)
  • koos en rocco : klavier en kitaar; kombuis en bar ( with koos kombuis)
  • one act ( with elzabe zietsman)
  • speel ( with lizz meiring)
  • leon en rocco…en ander instrumente ( with writer leon van nierop)
  • RoccoCocko  ( with conductor Maestro Richard Cock)

SHOWS FOR UNIVERSITY JOHANNESBURG

  • flash – 2011 ( musical direction)
  • jozi, ma sweetie – 2009 ( oroginal music and concept)
  • ballades: poetry of van · wyk louw and vilakazi – 2006
  • vitamin R – 2005 ( concept and original music)
  • tango! – 2003

CD’S PRODUCED FOR OTHER ARTISTS

Rocco also produced and arranged several cd albums for South African artisits like Karin Hougaard, Elzabé Zietman, Nataniël, Petronel Baard and Lize Beekman.

TELEVISION SERIES PRODUCED

  • die liedjies wat ons ken reeks 1 & 2
  • kersfees : die mooiste verhaal
  • paasfees : n verhaal van hoop

TELEVISION ( AS PRESENTER)

  • kook en klavier en rocco ( season 1 & 2 )
  • klop die klawers ( season 1 & 2 )
  • beter assie bure ( season 1,  2  & 3)

FILM

• klank baan vir filmkomedie LYKLOLLERY
• A PARABLE : Clive van den Berg
• Brewsie & Willie (rocam production, new york 2012)

AS JOURNALIST

  • VISI
  • MANWEES
  • FOOD & HOME

RECORD LABEL

  • Rocco Rocco Music

THIRD EAR

  • FREEDOM PARK MUSEUM, PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA

TELEVISION MUSIC COMPOSED

  • Rocco composes original music for series and advertisements for both television and radio. He composed the first channelmusic for kykNET in 1999

Sponsors