Maretha Uys, Deputy Concertmaster, started her musical life at the age of three in Bloemfontein, when she began to play recorder. She soon developed an interest in the violin and three years later was taking lessons with François Henkins. That was still not enough for her, and two years later she began to learn the piano which became her first love. At 13, she embarked on violin lessons with Prof. John Wille and four years later studied violin performance with Juan Muñoz at the University of the Free State. She studied piano with Dana Cilliers at the same time, obtained her B.Mus cum laude and received the Old Presidency Prize for the best student playing an orchestral instrument. While studying, she performed as soloist with the Bloemfontein Chamber Orchestra and Free State Symphony Orchestra. During that time she also played as hoc for the JPO, Johannesburg Music Initiative, ECPO and KZNPO. She was also a guest player in the Philharmonie der Nationen when they toured to Johannesburg. After several years of teaching and orchestral performance, she joined the CPO in 2007 and the city stole her heart. She has established a hiking company, Like2Hike, and hiking up the mountain or mountain biking before a rehearsal have become her favourite activities. She says she is fortunate to play in an orchestra … “The variety of what we do keeps life interesting. I love to be able to play for a living, I wouldn’t want it any other way!”