BLOEMFONTEIN – The winner of the International Institute of the Arts (IIA), resident at the University of the Free State (UFS), Stefans Grové IIA National Composition Competition, was announced recently.
The IIA was held for the seventh time and is considered one of South Africa’s foremost platforms dedicated to the creation and advancement of new art music.
Prof Alexander Johnson founded the competition in honour of Prof Stefans Grové, who served as his composition mentor.
The First Prize, valued at R10 000, has been awarded to Chesney Palmer for his composition The Exhibition, a work for string quartet inspired by the abstract artwork of Cathy Collins.
Conceived from a chromesthetic perspective, the composition derives its musical material from the colours, textures, and visual gestures of the artwork. Each movement explores distinct textures, brushstrokes, and painting techniques, translating these visual elements into a vivid and immersive sonic experience.
The Exhibition will be premiered by the Odeion String Quartet, with performance dates to be announced in due course.
Palmer is currently a PhD candidate at the UFS Odeion School of Music with Prof Lukas Ligeti as his promotor.
No Second Prize was awarded in this year’s competition.
Nicholas Smit (grade 11) from the Potchefstroom Gimnasium, was the runner-up for his composition Starting Point, which will also receive a performance.
The University of the Free State (UFS) officially launched its IIA on 2 October 2025 at the Scaena Theatre on its Bloemfontein Campus, marking a pivotal moment in the institution’s pursuit of academic excellence, creativity, and global collaboration.
The launch brought together university leadership, academics, artists, and art enthusiasts to celebrate a shared commitment to advancing human knowledge through creative enquiry and artistic innovation.
The launch of the institute, which falls under the portfolio of Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation Prof Vasu Reddy, is aimed at positioning the university at the intersection of creativity, scholarship, and societal impact.
The IIA now serves as a collaborative space for artists, researchers, and practitioners to explore new ways of thinking, teaching, and creating – bridging the gap between the humanities, science, and technology in an increasingly digital world.
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