CARINA                                                                                                                                         
ELECTRIC FLUTE

CARINA BRUWER (31) comes from a musical family and has been playing the flute since the age of 14, and played piano since the age of 9.  She is a versatile performer, known for seamlessly fusing classical and contemporary styles (Jazz, Latin, ethnic and crossover) in her performances.  She learned flute with the acclaimed Hungarian teacher Eva Tamassy and received Jazz lessons from pianist Merton Barrow. 

Studies and Degrees: B.Mus cum laude  and B.Mus (Hons) cum laude, both from the University of Stellenbosch; UNISA Performers Licentiate cum laude. 

Awards & Distinctions: ATKV Muziq Category Prize, Distell Music Prize, Huguenot Prize, UNISA Overseas Study Bursary runner-up prize, plus SAMRO prizes, Cosmo’s Awesome Woman 2005, one of Glamour’s “Women We Love” 2005, and Sports Illustrated’s “Top 10 Beauties of Sport”. Carina was the Executive Producer of Sterling EQ Live in Concert (DVD) which won a SA Music Award in 2011

Other activities & skills: Carina is the manager and founder of Sterling EQ, and also founded and owns Five Seasons Entertainment Agency, one of the largest of its sort in Africa. She is coincidentally also SA’s most decorated female marathon swimmer, with various national and international records to her name. She has enjoyed extensive media coverage, including lifestyle features on Gillette World Sport (international), Pasella (SABC2), The Power Within (SABC3) Kwela (Kyknet); as well as prime time news inserts on SABC1, 2 and 3 and ETV.  In print media she has made the front page of most local newspapers, and has been featured in glossies including Sarie, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Sports Illustrated and Shape Magazine, amongst many others. 

Noteworthy performances / musical activities before Sterling EQ: Soloist with the Cape Philharmonic, Kwazulu Natal Philharmonic and University of Stellenbosch Symphony Orchestras. Solo performance in Tunisia as part of President Mbeki's inaugural state visit in 2004.  Carina has also performed and recorded with the Classical ACE Quartet, Casta Alma flamenco band, and the Latin band Salsa Candela.

Hobbies: Swimming and her work

Family: Carina and her Italian art director husband Riccardo Pugliese live in Cape Town with their two young daughters. 

Birthday:  15 January (Capricorn)

What you may not know: Carina can talk backwards, a skill she acquired in high school when her mind wandered during Accounting class. She is a self confessed coffee snob, and loves to eat but hates to cook!

Visit Carina's website on www.carina.co.za