The Olive Lieberz Piano competition came into being to honour South African pianist Olive Lieberz, who in 1939 was unable to take up a scholarship overseas due to the onset of World War Two. In 2008 a competition was launched in her memory by Des Fernandes. Originally as a prize for students at the South African College of Music, UCT, the competition was re-launched through the generous sponsorshi
p of the Enid Muriel Trust (PBO), in association with UCT, into a national competition for all South African piano students wishing to audition overseas to continue their studies - thus assisting students to achieve what Olive was not able to do. In 2020 the Johann Vos Music Competition invited the Olive Lieberz Prize to be incorporated into their main competition and, now in it's third year - this will take place on 30th August 2023 at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre and will be broadcast along with the Junior and Senior divisions on Fine Music Radio on 10 September at 2pm..
