Braam du Toit

Braam du Toit (born 25 February 1981) is a South African composer and choral conductor. He is the recipient of a number of accolades, including a South African Film and Television Award and a Naledi Theatre Award. His film scores include The Endless River, Sew the Winter to My Skin (2018), and Moffie (2019).

Early life Du Toit grew up in Swellendam, a town in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, where he attended Swellendam High School and lives to this day. He composed his first piece of music at 16. He studied composition with Peter Klatzow at the University of Cape Town. He received the Priaulx Rainier Award for composition in 2001.

Career Film

His film scores have earned international recognition including awards at FESPACO, the Monaco International Film Festival, and the South African Film and Television Awards. His score for Moffie (2019) directed by Oliver Hermanus received particular international critical acclaim, with reviewers across major publications including The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Hollywood Reporter, and Variety praising the score's ability to capture complex psychological states through what Screen Daily described as music that heightened the film's "intense introspection."

His earlier score for Sew the Winter to My Skin (2018), which won the FESPACO Award for Best Music, was described by The Hollywood Reporter as "glistening, dreamy, mournful," adding to what the review characterized as the film's "sense of lyrical otherness."

Theatre

Du Toit's theatre work has been recognized with multiple awards including the Naledi Theatre Award for Best Sound and the Fiëstas Award for Best Achievement in Classical Music.

Die Kortstondige Raklewe van Anastasia W (2010), a collaboration with playwright Marlene van Niekerk and director Marthinus Basson, earned him the Aardvark toekenning vir grondverskuiwende werk (Aardvark award for groundbreaking work) at Aardklop. The production generated sharply divided critical reactions. Deborah Steinmair in Beeld praised it as "a natural wonder," while Jan-Jan Joubert defended its value as "cultural protest," arguing that confronting "the gruesome barbarity of violence against children" required the production's unflinching approach. However, the production's confrontational nature—which led to audience members walking out at some performances—also drew criticism for what some viewed as its excessive provocation. This polarized reception prompted scholarly analysis, with Leon de Kock and Annel Pieterse examining the work's significance as protest theatre in post-apartheid South Africa in a major article in the South African Theatre Journal.

Balbesit (2013), directed by Jaco Bouwer, featured Du Toit's music described by reviewers as "haunting and powerful." The production won Kanna awards at the KKNK festival in 2013.

Poskantoor (2014), also directed by Bouwer, won Best Production at the Aardklop Arts Festival in 2014. Du Toit won the Fiëstas Award for Best Achievement in Classical Music for the work, with critics describing it as "extraordinary music."

Du Toit's compositional practice spans film, theatre, and concert music. His concert works have been described as "slow, lush, and atmospheric," with dramatic intensity emerging through dynamic changes rather than aggressive musical gestures. Reviewers have noted his use of music to heighten psychological states, with the Los Angeles Times describing his approach as mixing different musical styles that "atmospherically complement the emotional timeline," while the Chicago Tribune noted his technique of "alternating between enhancing and juxtaposing the tension on screen."

Works

Theatre and opera HUIS (2002) Koggelmanderman (2003) by Pieter Fourie, directed by Marthinus Basson 'n Ander Tongval (2008) Smag (2008) Saad (2008) Verkeer (2008) Trilogy: Lot / Betésda / Babbel (2009–2011) Antony and Cleopatra (2010) Die kortstondige raklewe van Anastasia W (2010) by Marlene van Niekerk, directed by Marthinus Basson London Road (2010) Oscar and the Lady in Pink (2012) Balbesit (2013) Rooiland (2013) Poskantoor (2014) Huppelkind (2020) directed by Marthinus Basson

Dance Run! (2013)

Filmography Year Title Director Notes 2007 Floodline Braam du Toit Short film Meisie Darrell Roodt 2008 Ella Blue Miniseries 2009 Tornado and the Kalahari Horse Whisperer Regardt van den Bergh 2011 Odd Number Marius van Straaten Documentary 2012 Taste of Rain Richard Pakleppa 2013 Vashou-ding Lika Berning Short film 2013 Toevlug Christiaan Olwagen Short film 2014 Balbesit: 'n Studie in Stemme Jaco Bouwer 2014 Trippie Nicola Hanekom Short film 2014 Run Jose Dave Meinert Short film 2015 Bettie Lika Berning, Jana Cilliers, and Catherine Meyburgh Documentary 2015 Vryslag Marcel van Heerden Short film 2015 The Endless River Oliver Hermanus 2016–2021 Die Boekklub Series 2016 Die Byl Series 2016 Vlees van my vlees Matthys Boshoff Short film 2018 Fine Print Louis Pretorius 13 episodes 2018 Scenes from a Dry City Simon Wood and François Verster Documentary 2018 Sew the Winter to My Skin Jahmil X.T. Qubeka 2019 Moffie Oliver Hermanus 2019–2022 Die Byl Liezl Spies and Leon Kruger Season 2-3, original theme music 2020 Fine Print Louis Pretorius Music 2022 Die Byl Liezl Spies and Leon Kruger Season 4 2023 Indlela Yokuphila Dylan McGarry and Marc Moynihan Animation, Empatheatre production 2023 Winterslaap Leandros Braounos and Daniel Howells Short film 2023 Reflections in a broken mirror Composer: Archival Music 2024–2025 Die Byl Original theme music

Concert and chamber works

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref 2008 Seoul International Drama Awards Best Music Director Ella Blue 2009 Monaco International Film Festival Best Original Music Soundtrack – Feature Film Tornado and the Kalahari Horse Whisperer 2010 South African Film and Television Awards Best Achievement in Original Score – Feature Film 2012 Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards Best Sound Design or Original Score The Short Shelf Life of Anastasia W 2013 Naledi Theatre Awards Best Sound Trilogy: Lot / Betésda / Babbel 2014 Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards Best Sound Design or Original Score Rooiland 2015 Balbesit Fiëstas Awards Best Achievement in Classical Music Poskantoor Best New Production 2019 FESPACO Best Music Sew the Winter to My Skin 2019 South African Film and Television Awards Best Achievement in Original Score – Television Drama Fynskrif