Meet the Orchestra
Lizanne Barnard
Music Director: Lowveld Community Orchestra
Lizanne Barnard has served as the conductor of the Lowveld Community Orchestra since 2022. Under her direction, the orchestra has grown in both size and artistic quality and has become a vital part of the cultural life of Nelspruit and the broader Mpumalanga region.
Lizanne is a multi-award-winning composer, performer, and pioneer in kleinkuns and musical theatre. She’s released acclaimed solo and collaborative albums, set poetry to music, and performed across SA and Europe. Based in White River, she composes, conducts, and arranges for the Lowveld Community Orchestra.
Rhona le Roux
Chairperson: Lowveld Community Orchestra Voluntary Association
Rhona le Roux is a music teacher in Nelspruit and is the Chairperson of the Lowveld Community Orchestra Voluntary Association. Rhona is passionate about youth music development and has been actively involved with local NGOs providing music lessons to vulnerable youth in communities in and around Nelspruit .
Rhona is a multi-talented instrumentalist and in addition to teaching piano and keyboard, she also teaches flute, saxophone and recorder. Rhona leads the winds section of the Lowveld Community Orchestra.
Monique Christie
Coordinator: Lowveld Development Orchestra
Monique Christie is a music teacher in Nelspruit. Monique is the driving force behind the Lowveld Development Orchestra and has served as LDO coordinator and conductor since its establishment in 2023.
Monique heads up the strings section of the Lowveld Community Orchestra and in addition to teaching violin to primary and high school learners in Nelspruit, she also manages the strings hub at Nelspruit Primary.