About
2004
Four members from Joyful Noise Ministries (Veronica Bell on violin, Lyudmyla Heath on accordion, Hilandi du Toit on guitar and Done McLuckie on percussion) start playing regularly at weddings
September 2004 Zamar visited Aardklop Festival playing in a restaurant next to the street, where people stopped to listen, asking for CD’s to buy. They realized then that they have something fresh to introduce into the market.
November 2004 Zamar did their first public show at Dorpstreet theatre as a 5 piece band. By then Anjulie de Vos on bass joined the band on a regular basis. They used a demo CD to market our sound.
2005
Zamar’s first CD was recorded in February 2005, Zamar, “Song of Celebration”. This CD was a live audience recording made at the Fismer Hall in the Stellenbosch Conservatorium. It consisted of 8 tracks, but has a hidden track with beautiful music Zamar played while the audience relaxed after the formal recording session.
Zamar was invited to play at the “POPS” concert of the KKNK Festival 2005 and this gave them an opportunity to visit Oudsthoorn. The band approached the restaurant owner of “La Dolce Vita”, to play their live music during the day and late evenings to create an opportunity to sell their newly recorded CD. This was an immediate hit during the festival and did not only attract lots of media attention, but also earned them the Kanna Award for the best upcoming artist of the Festival.
The Kanna Award resulted into the following:
- Television interviews with: Steve Hofmeyer (Dis hoe dit is met Steve); Kunskafee Kyknet; Pitstop (SABC 2)
- Magazine exposure: Sarie (October 2005; February 2006),1Time Magazine
- Performance: SKOUSPEL 2005
- CD contract with EMI
- In September 2005 Zamar introduced their next CD, Zamar, “Spell on you”, which has 12 tracks recorded at the “Franschhoek Studio’s”.
2006
Zamar performed extensively in South Africa in 2006, although the members were not focused full time on Zamar only (four of the members were still involved in Joyful Noise and Anjulie was teaching at a private school).
Some of the performance highlights were: A drama based on the life of Ingrid Jonker (KKNK and Aardklop 2006) where Zamar played the incidental music with music director Janine Neethling; Production with Anna Davel, ‘BOHEEM’, Shared concert with Matthys Roets at Durbanville High School, Dorpstreet Theatre performance with Koos Kombuis
Veronica Bell
- Violinist
- Vocalist
- Pianist
Veronica is the passionate violinist of Zamar using this beautiful instrument to speak a language of hope and passion for life! She began her violin lessons at the age of four from Mrs. Clutton in Newcastle. During her school years she took lessons from Mr. Ahlers (Johannesburg), Professor Allen Solomon (Johannesburg), Mr. La Castro (Durban) and Mrs. Robertson (Pietermaritzburg). She furthered her studies at the University of Pretoria in 1991 with Prof Allen Solomon, but she continued studying at the University of Stellenbosch from the year 1993, where she was taught by Professor Jack de Wet.
In 1994 she performed with the Cape Town Symphonic Orchestra as solo violinist during the National Youth Festival and completed her Teachers Licentiate degree in Violin. In 1995 she studied her Practical Honours in Bachelor Music Ensemble work under the late Professor Eric Rycroft.
She also received training in piano finishing her UNISA grade 8 exam and four year University training under Ella Fourie (TUKS, 1991), Wessel van Wyk (TUKS, 1992) and Bennie van Eeden (University of Stellenbosch1993 – 1994) and vocal training under Magdalena Oosthuizen (UNISA grade 6). During her studies she accompanied students for their examinations.
She’s played the violin in Zamar since 2005 and as a result of that has performed with many of South Africa’s well known artists, like Jannie Moolman, Rina Hugo, Danie Niehaus, Anna Davel , Karen Meiring, Chris Chameleon, Lise Beekman, Matthys Roets, Janine Neethling and Steve Hofmeyer.
Since October 2022, she is acting as the Concert Master of the community-based orchestra, Winelands Philharmonic Orchestra, operating from Stellenbosch and surrounding towns. 2023 launched her solo career with the production ‘Focus on the Fiddle’ which is a 60min program representing the diversity of the violin repertoire covering classical, gypsy and jazz.
In 2024, one of her own compositions originally composed for Zamar, were arranged by the well-renowned composer and arranger, John Walton, for orchestra. This piece, Lazy days Sunset, were recorded by the Cinematic Company orchestra into a spectacular piece.
Veronica is married to Usher and they have four kids, who regularly join the Zamar band as guest artists.