Peter James Leonard Klatzow (1945-2021) was a South African composer and pianist known for his contributions to classical music in South Africa, particularly through his innovative use of tonality, integration of diverse cultural influences, and significant advancements in marimba music.

After matriculating at St Martin’s School (Johannesburg, South Africa) Peter Klatzow spent a year teaching music and Afrikaans at the then newly-established Waterford School (Eswatini).The award of the South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) scholarship for composers in 1964 took Klatzow to the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied composition with Bernard Stevens, piano with Kathleen Long, and orchestration with Gordon Jacob. In that year he won several of the college composition prizes as well as the Royal Philharmonic prize for composition, which was open to any Commonwealth composer under 30. He spent the following years in Italy and Paris, where he studied with Nadia Boulanger.

Klatzow returned to South Africa in 1966, and worked at the SABC in Johannesburg as a music producer, and in 1973 was appointed to the University of Cape Town as Associate Professor in Composition. In 1986 he was elected to the rank of Fellow of the University of Cape Town for “having performed original distinguished academic work of such quality as to merit special recognition.”

One of the few South African composers to achieve international recognition, Peter Klatzow won prizes in Spain and Toronto, and his works have been performed in various European centres and the United States. In South Africa he was awarded the prestigious Helgard Steyn prize worth £6000 for his piano suite From the Poets.

His major works include a full length ballet on Hamlet, music for ballets on Drie Diere and Vier Gebede, and concertos for various solo instruments; piano, clarinet, organ, marimba, and a double concerto for flute and marimba. His Prayers and Dances of Praise from Africa was introduced at the Three Choirs Festival, Worcester, UK.

His 3rd String Quartet was commissioned by the Lake District Summer Music Festival for the Chilingirian Quartet and Return of the Moon, a cycle for voices and marimba, was commissioned by the King’s Singers for themselves and Evelyn Glennie.