Biography of Jaco Pieterse
A promise fulfilled and knowledge preserved

As with many other singers, Jaco Pieterse discovered the joy of song at an early age.
His earliest début came at the age of six when Jaco appeared in his first school concert. Dressed up in a smart cowboy outfit, complete with brand new American revolvers in imported leather holsters, he sang the song “High Noon” with great gusto.

High Noon became the song for which Jaco would be remembered for years to come. In fact, after many years, Jaco commemorated his opening song by making a recording of the same song on his CD at the age of 60.

At the age of fifteen Jaco started taking singing lessons with Alessandro Rota, who was known as “Mr. Opera” in South Africa at that time. Jaco was soon asked to join in operatic choirs, continuing to sing under Rota for the next two years. He eventually began studying singing under Francis Russel, another famous opera tenor during that time. However, Jaco felt that he was not making the kind of progress that he had envisioned, and grew frustrated at the conflicting methods he was being taught by the different teachers.

Unbeknown to him, Jaco’s father had signed on in 1926 for voice improvement lessons from a person called Eugene Feuchtinger, who was based in Chicago at the time. When Jaco discovered the study material, the unconventional method caught his attention and he wasted no time in writing to Professor Feuchtinger, who at that time was already retired. However, after listening to a recording of Jaco’s voice, Feuchtinger agreed to make an exception. Unfortunately Jaco’s life took a difficult turn. With the death of his father Jaco’s opportunity seemed to point to Italy in stead.

Italy proved to be a most exciting time. In Milan, Jaco’s first teacher was Madame Basiola, the wife of a superb baritone singer. Here he was kept busy singing scales over and over. His next step was to enter the Conservatorium of Verdi in Milan where he received training by several well-known voice teachers, including Dino Engovopoulos, the Greek baritone who used to sing with Maria Callis), Aurelio Tronci and finally Maestro Louigi Cagnatzo.

Despite all the hours of intensive training Jaco still felt he was not achieving the kind of results which he had been hoping for. On the one hand Professor Feuchtinger had taught that the voice was designed to run along its own natural strength. However most of the vocal approaches in Italy, such as passagio, would force the voice into an unnatural tone which is not typical of the singer’s usual voice. Jaco found that passagio was a harmful technique which would continue to plague and ruin the careers of many promising singers.

Because teachers simply did not understand the mechanics of voice training, they were ruining their students’ voices. Teachers were concentrating on “support” and the importance of the diaphragm in singing—yet they were mostly unable to explain exactly what these two concepts really meant. Teachers often simply relied on their own opinions and feelings and tried to build these into their students.

Jaco found himself actually doing worse in Italy, and he soon became very concerned. In desperation he finally turned to his old friend, Professor Eugene Feuchtinger, in America, to ask for his advice.

Feuchtinger’s reply brought about a pivotal point in Jaco’s singing career. The young man dropped everything and immediately went home to inform his wife that he was going to America. At last he could sense that there was some kind of clear direction in voice training that he could follow. By now already 72 years old, Feuchtinger had long since stopped teaching voice development, but Jaco was different.

With Feuchtinger, Jaco found an approach to voice training which he had not encountered anywhere in Italy. And so, gradually, under Professor Feuchtinger’s patient care, everything began to improve. Finally, when it was time for Jaco to return home, Feuchtinger asked his star pupil to continue teaching this method to others so as to ensure that it does not die after he is gone.

“Feuchtinger always believed that his method was his gift to the world, and he wanted me to continue giving this gift,” Jaco explained. After all, Feuchtinger had always trained his students one-on-one. He had never taken the time to lay a foundation which would ensure the continuation of his teachings after his death. The baton was passed from master to student.

It would be many years before the gift of Feuchtinger would finally be shared with the world again, though. Back in South Africa, Jaco found himself with virtually no funds, and a young family to provide for. In the years that followed, Jaco went into industry and worked various jobs. His big break came when he received an offer from Gallo to make his first long player record. Moving back to Johannesburg, Jaco completed his first record, simply called “Jaco Pieterse,” which became an instant success and was followed by “Jaco Pieterse—Ewig en Altyd.” After that followed record of a religious nature, followed by his first solo seven.

The biggest breakthrough of all, however, was when Jaco joined up with the well-known South African singer, Louise Senekal. An astounding 11 out of the 12 tracks on this recording earned number one positions on Radio South Africa’s Suid-Afrikaanse Treffers, or “South African Top Hits”—a feat which has never been equaled in the local industry.

Once Jaco Pieterse was fully established as an artist in the South African light music industry, he returned to opera with a record called “Popera”. It was something completely new and the public loved it. Then followed a range of other releases, and concerts together with the popular South African singer Bles Bridges.

After some years, Jaco Pieterse decided that it was time to retire. Over the years he had continued to participate in several hundred music concerts, big and small, and had continued to issue new releases periodically. As one of South Africa’s top tenors the country boy who once sang High Noon with two revolvers, had indeed achieved what would have been the dream of many an aspirant singer. But there was one thing that still needed to be done.

Jaco had not forgotten his promise to the old Professor. He knew that every year voice teachers from all over the world were continuing to unwittingly ruin the voices of thousands of hopeful young singers through ignorance and by teaching outdated methods which had their origin in complete myth and misunderstanding. Periodically he would be approached by young singers and even old professionals who, having heard that he had once been a student of the legendary Feuchtinger, wanted advice and help from him. Now that he was retired and had the time for it, Jaco knew it was time to act.

So the Perfect Voice Training Course was developed, with its supporting video. Jaco Pieterse now spends his time doing occasional appearances and working full time to share his course and the priceless Feuchtinger method with the world.

On stage for a performance of La Traviata