About Frances
Frances van der Walt grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, and started playing the violin at the age of 5. She was raised in a musical household, and began performing professionally with her family in the Gypsy Jazz band, Hot Club d’Afrique, in her final year of high school in 2012.
She attended the Deutsche Internationale Schule Johannesburg, after which she pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy, and Law from the University of the Witwatersrand, from 2013 to 2015. She then earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) (with distinction) at the same university, attending from 2016 to 2017.
After realising that a career in law was not for her, Frances redirected her focus to pursuing music full-time, continuing with performances with her band as well as freelance gigs and sessions, and teaching violin, guitar, and drums privately at The Music Studio in Johannesburg.
In 2020, she returned to Wits, obtaining a master’s degree in Jazz Violin Performance, under the joint supervision of Professor Carlo Mombelli and Dr Donato Somma, and with the instrumental guidance of globally renowned and award-winning Dutch jazz violinist, Tim Kliphuis.
Frances is currently a part-time lecturer (jazz violin) at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), where she also directs a Swing ensemble.
She has shared the stage and recorded with many respected musicians and artists, including Hot Club d’Afrique, Qadasi & Maqhinga, Mauritz Lotz, Ziza Muftic, Carlo Mombelli, Keenan Ahrends, Romy Brauteseth, Peter Auret, Amaeshi Ikechi, Shane Cooper, Vuma Levin, Benjamin Jephtha, Sphelelo Mazibuko, Hannah Foster, Cameron Bruce, and more.
To enquire about live performances, session work, or private lessons, click below:
Hot Club d'Afrique
Hot Club d’Afrique is an all-acoustic Gypsy Jazz quartet from
Johannesburg, South Africa. Their music pays tribute to the original
Quintette du Hot Club de France”, founded in 1934 by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. The Hot Club name refers to the Swing jazz of the 1930s, known at the time as ‘hot jazz’, or in France, as ‘le jazz hot’.
For more on the band, visit their website here
- true to the sound of the original Hot Club Quintette of the 1930s - emphasising the acoustic, string-based sound typical of Gypsy Jazz.
- Available for weddings, corporate events, and other special private and public functions
Recent projects and collaborations
Violin Performance on"Hlanganani"
Qadasi & Maqhinga
Tokamak
Jazz Fusion Band
Freelance performances
Jazz & Contemporary Violin
Instrument demos
Luthier - Murray Kuun