A piano available for public use in Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Neelsie Student Centre was recently removed, following complaints about it being disruptive. This is according to Martin Viljoen, spokesperson for SU.
“Unfortunately, the office received various complaints from students and tenants regarding [noise from the] piano,” said Viljoen, in correspondence with SMF News. “The main concern was that all too often the piano was used by people who clearly cannot play it.”
A Neelsie employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the piano was in the Neelsie for two years.
The initial placement of the piano was for students to enjoy and to contribute to a positive atmosphere, according to Viljoen.
The main entrance to Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Neelsie Student Centre. “The management of the Neelsie Student Centre at [SU] welcomes various forms of artistic expression by students and staff,” said Martin Viljoen, SU spokesperson, in correspondence with SMF News. “In this case, the initial placement of the piano was for students to enjoy and contribute to a positive atmosphere.” PHOTO: Onthatile Mahlangu
The centre management is responsible for ensuring that students and tenants experience the centre positively, said Viljoen. However, due to the building’s acoustic architecture, noises sometimes vibrate and are amplified, especially during busy periods when noise levels peak, leading to noise disruptions, he said.
“The centre management advised the owner to create a better system of control regarding the piano,” said Viljoen. “The owner decided to rather move the piano based on the complaints.”
SMF News reached out to Frederik Kruger, the owner of the piano and My Brew Coffee Roastery, for comment, but had not received a response by the time of publication.
“[It] was all fun until you were trying to study in Fharga [a study area in the Neelsie] and all you could hear was people just banging on the keys,” said Nicky Nix, a TikTok user who commented under a TikTok post mentioning the removal of the piano. PHOTO: Onthatile Mahlangu
Mixed emotions on the removal of the piano
“I am happy that the piano is gone because most of the time it was played by people who cannot play,” said John Mostert, general manager of the Barber Club salon in the Neelsie.
“I understand that many people would use the piano to practice and that to hear the practicing could be annoying,” said Liam van der Heyde, a former SU BSc (Conservation Ecology) student who used to play the piano and is now a full-time musician. “I know that some people study in the Neelsie, and the piano is a disturbance in that regard.”
Van der Heyde said that he used to play the piano often, especially during study breaks or after studying on campus late at night, allowing him to break away from academic stress.
Zenande Bizani, a first-year BSc (Food Science) student, said that she is sad that the piano is no longer there.
“There was a person who used to play from 21:00 to 00:00,” said Bizani. “It was wonderful listening to him because he would play Adele and Coldplay [songs].”
“There were many occasions where random people would join in the jam with me alone or a group of friends and create a warm atmosphere,” said Liam van der Heyde, a former BSc (Conservation Ecology) student at Stellenbosch University, who used to play the Neelsie Student Centre’s piano, which has recently been removed. PHOTO: Onthatile Mahlangu