"… her poise is remarkable in such a young singer – her statuesque bearing does her no harm, ... Her voice is bright without being brassy, her phrasing musical and elegant ..."    -  Melanie Eskenazi, Seen & Heard International

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Violetta La Traviata - photo Alison Trim

         Soprano Erica Eloff first came to public attention in the UK when she performed the role of Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte for British Youth Opera and subsequently for Garsington Opera. She has since sung the First Lady and the Queen of the Night Die Zauberflöte, Violetta La Traviata and Belinda Dido & Aeneas. Before leaving South Africa for the UK in 2003, she performed the roles of Barbarina Le Nozze di Figaro, Despina Cosi fan tutte, Adéle Die Fledermaus and Adina L’elisir d’Amore. Conductors she has worked with include Steuart Bedford, Simon Over, Paul McGrath, Jonathan Lyness and Eric Rycroft.


         As a concert artist, Erica's wide ranging repertoire includes the major repertoire by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Fauré, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Orff, Rutter, Verdi and Vivaldi. Some of the lesser known works she has performed are the Gounod Messa di St. Cecilia; Schubert's Mass in G major; Vaughan Williams' Benedicite, Hodie and Serenade to music; Dvorak's Te Deum and the Requiem of the South African composer Martin Watt. She has performed with, amongst others, the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa, Magogo Kamerorkest in the Netherlands, London Mozart Players, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia, Camerata Tinta Barocca and the New London Sinfonia. Ms. Eloff has been fortunate to collaborate with conductors David Gibson, Arjan Tien, Mark Forkgen, Janet Lincé and Wolfgang Abendroth and continues to work with them on a regular basis.
        Ms. Eloff is a passionate performer of Lieder. Since her student days she has often taken part in projects and concerts to expose audiences to the art form. Always keen to challenge her audience, Ms Eloff regularly programmes audience favourites together with lesser known pieces in order to expand the audience’s knowledge and appreciation. She has presented recitals at venues ranging from a cattle market in Groot Marico, to all the major South African Arts Festivals, and podia across the UK, and in Belgium. Among her regular collaborators in recital are Mark Nixon, Bernarda Vorster, Els Flement and James Baillieu with whom she had the privilege of presenting two Wigmore Recitals.


        As an active chamber musician, Erica has presented world premiers of works by South African and English composers, including works specifically written for her by the composers James Wilding and Hannes Taljaard. Among a number of collaborators she has enjoyed working with are the brilliant young and upcoming Baroque group Amaranthos. Erica has also been extremely fortunate to collaborate with Lawrence Cummings and the London Handel Players on several occasions, including performing Handel's Messiah in Handel's own church. Other highlights include performing Handel’s solo cantatas in his London home as well as Handel's Messiah in the Royal Albert Hall under the legendary sir David Wilcocks.
        Erica was born in South Africa where she received her first music lessons in piano and violin from her mother from a very young age. She later abandoned these instruments for singing, and went on to pursue her musical studies at the Potchefstroom University where she obtained a Bachelor's degree and Post Graduate Diploma in Performance (Cum Laude), studying singing with Werner Nel. In the UK Erica has studied with Lillian Watson and she continues to study with Sheila Barnes. Ms. Eloff has been fortunate to receive master classes from, amongst others, Elly Ameling, Susan Bullock, Helmut Deutsch and Joan Rodgers.


        During her studies Ms. Eloff is awarded several prizes and scholarships by her university and various national institutions. She is a laureate of several national and international singing competitions, and first prizes include the London Handel Competition, the UNISA National Singing Competition, the UFAM Concours Internationaux de Chant, and ATKV Forté. Erica is also very grateful to Making Music who selected her as a Philip and Dorothy Green Young Concert Artist.

     Publicity photo - Sussie Ahlburg

        In addition to her work as soloist, Ms. Eloff is keen to help amateur singers develop their skills. She has a number of enthusiastic pupils who sing a variety of repertoire ranging from the great choral pieces to Elvis! Whenever time allows, she helps to develop her children's school choir. “I enjoy exposing children to different styles of singing and never cease to be amazed at how quickly they learn new songs, as well as their potential for development.”


        Looking ahead, future engagements include various concerts and recitals throughout the UK, Germany and South Africa.

“Everyone loves a winner. And, from the moment she began her final recital at the start of this year's Handel Singing Competition, the South African soprano Erica Eloff looked and sounded the part... and I can't wait to hear her again... She really inhabited each aria - and at the end was radiant with laughter as though she'd enjoyed every minute. We certainly did …”    –  Hilary Finch, The Times

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