Cobus van der Walt

At an early age Cobus demonstrated exceptional musical ability and chose the piano as his creative medium. He would later utilise his works for examinations and local talent contests. After high school he studied Music Performance in Pretoria, South Africa.

Cobus was the resident pianist at The Palace of the Lost City (Sun City) from 2003 to 2005, performing daily at Villa del Palazzo and The Crystal Court. More recently he has played in Johannesburg at venues such as The Residence, Michelangelo’s, Sandton Sun, Gold Reef City, The Hilton, Irene Lodge, and The Maximilien (Da Vinci Hotel, Sandton).

From 2005 to 2016, Cobus worked at Music World East Rand Mall, where he later held the role of operations manager. While teaching piano students, he continues working on his own compositions, having recorded 10 studio albums with hundreds of compositions since 2012. His latest album, “To Live In The Moment”, was released in 2024. His music is available worldwide under the pseudonym “Bernardt James”.

Since launching the school in August 2017 in Verwoerdpark, Alberton, Cobus has focused on piano pedagogy and music theory. His studies include Educational Psychology, Business Operations Management, Music Performance, and Music Theory, which collectively enhance his teaching approach. Keyz Music Lessons has successfully helped hundreds of students learn music since its inception.