Cornelis Johannes DuPreez Strauss (born 7 June 1978) is a multi-disciplinary artist originally from South Africa. He has lived and worked on 4 continents and is best known as director and producer of music, TV, theatre and radio, composer, lyricist, visual artist, writer, casting director, architectural designer,[1] orchestra conductor, TV personality and property investor.
He starred as a lead in 120 episodes of the TV series SugaRushed[2] (the real-life TV drama set inside his record label studios) and has conducted Disney's The Lion King Musical in 8 countries.[3][4][5] His TV show "My Vreemde Vriende / Strangers For Friends" was nominated for a South African Film and TV Award for Best Lifestyle Show in 2021.[6][7][8] He ranks within the top 1% wealthiest individuals in South Africa [9][10] and within the top 2% most intelligent individuals world-wide.[11]
Education
Strauss was classically trained on the piano for 17 years. He passed cum laude the final piano examinations of both the University of South Africa and the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (London, England).[12] He completed his high school career with seven distinctions in Bloemfontein, South Africa. He was awarded Hennie Joubert Prize by the University of South Africa, given to the top music students in the country. Strauss holds two cum laude University Degrees: In Philosophy, Psychology, Art, History of Art, Communications and Languages. He was awarded Best Humanities Student from the University of the Free State.
In 2007, he moved to New York where he learned orchestra conducting at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City [13] from Maestro Vincent La Selva.
He is a lapsed member of Mensa,[14] the organisation open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test. He is also an invited member of The Golden Key International Honour Society that recognises outstanding academic achievement and connects high-achieving individuals globally.
Strauss has musically directed many full-scale theatre productions, including Sweeney Todd (FrenchWoods, New York City), South African Best New Musical 2003 award winner Mercury Rising,[17][18]Big Top Burlesque,[19]Somebody To Love,[20]Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living in Paris[21][22] and Divas of Music and Dance.[23] In addition, Strauss conducted Disney's The Lion King (musical) in South Africa (2008), Taiwan (2009) and Singapore (2011).[24][25][26] He also worked with director Julie Taymor, Lebo MGarth Fagan on revising "The Lion King" for its 10th Anniversary production.
From 2012 - 2013, Strauss starred in SugaRushed,[27][28] a reality soap about him and his music producer partner, Bradley Africa, running a record label.[29][30][31] The series was aired on TopTV in South Africa[32][33] and is currently on air in 11 other countries on the Zuku pay channel broadcaster.
Strauss composes regularly for TV, including The Heart is Beautiful, Robinson Regstreek, Spieelbeeld and Emily Hobhouse, as well as composing for his own show SugaRushed.
Strauss co-produced "Jacobsbaai", the first ever English-and-multi-African-language play in New York City, at the Cherry Lane Theatre.[34] He co-produced and co-presented the "Outspoken" radio show, which broadcasts to all of Sub-Saharan Africa.[35]
Strauss composed, performed and produced the song "Hidroponies" by his band "ZombieVampire", as well as directing the music video. The music video was in the official selection of the Out Twin Cities International Film Festival in Minneapolis in 2012.[36]
Strauss has starred as TV actor in the South African soaps "Scandal" and "Villa Rosa" (2011) and the drama series "Intersexions", as well as acting in Canadian film director Bruce LaBruce's "X-Homes".[37][38]
Strauss was one of the faces of Mustang Jeans and Underwear (2011 worldwide campaign) shot by Danish photographer Klaus Thymann.[39]
He is a contributing writer, model, and one-time photoshoot director for Fashion TV Magazine.[40]
Between 2012 and 2022, Strauss worked as production manager on four seasons of the most popular TV show in Australia and Germany - "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! / "Ich Bin Ein Star...".
In 2016, Strauss was Director, Producer and Trade Exchange Manager at South Africa's most renowned lifestyle TV show, "Top Billing" which ran for 27 years. Strauss directed the most popular Top Billing Home Insert of all time in Zimbabwe.[44]
The "Skycave" property, created by Strauss, was awarded as one of the Favourite Homes of 2023 on SABC3's prestigious lifestyle TV show "The Insider SA".[45]
Since 2021, Strauss has received rave reviews for his one-man grand piano show "Dreamland" which has toured South Africa and Australia.[46][47]
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