Aristide du Plessis has established a reputation as one of South Africa’s leading cellists, making regular appearances on national television and radio, both as a soloist and chamber musician. He has performed in some of the world's most renowned concert halls ranging from the Zürich Tonhalle and Vienna Musikverein to the Herkulessaal in Munich, Wiener Konzerthaus and the Berliner Philharmonie.

Having won numerous prizes in competitions such as the Kiwanis Chamber Music Prize (Zürich), ATKV Musiq, FMR/Nussbaum, Stellenbosch National Ensemble Competition (1st Prize, Axiom Piano Trio), he has made Chamber Music collaborations, at home and across Europe with artists such as Tai Murray, Anthony McGill, Wolfgang-Emanuel Schmidt, Kathy Tagg, Peter Martens, Keiko Tamura, Christopher Duigan, Nina Schumann, Frank Stadler, Daniel Rowland and Marian Lewin.

As a soloist he has performed since the age of 15 with all of his country’s leading orchestras such as the KZN Philharmonic, the Cape Philharmonic, Johannesburg Philharmonic, Camerata Tinta Barocca (Cape Town) and Baroque 2000 (Durban), under the batons of conductors such as Bernhard Gueller, Daniel Boico, Alexander Fokkens, Brandon Phillips, Naum Rousine and Arjan Tien.

A graduate of the University of Cape Town where he studied with Anmari van Der Westhuizen, Kristian Chernev and Marian Lewin, his initial training was with Kolio Kolev and later Boris Kerimov, in the Russian tradition. A Scholarship from the prestigious Oppenheimer Memorial Trust enabled him to further his studies at the Zürich University of the Arts, where he studied with the renowned pedagogue and long-time Principal cellist of the Tonhalle Orchestra, Thomas Grossenbacher.

Further instruction was received from Maria Kliegel, Gary Hoffman, David Geringas, Richard Harwood, Thomas Carroll, David Cohen, Kristine Blaumane, Wolfgang-Emanuel Schmidt, Arto Noras, Eugene Osadchy, Claudio Bohorquez, Alexander Baillie, Amanda Truelove, Martin Löhr and Wolfram Christ.

Aristide is also a passionate Cello Teacher, having presented Masterclasses for the South African National Youth Orchestra, the University of Cape Town, and at the KZN Philharmonic’s Orchestra Academy. 

From 2015 to 2023 Aristide was initially Co-Principal and later Principal cellist of the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra. He now lives in the UK where he works frequently with orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (guest principal), BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera. 

Aristide plays on a 19th century reconstructed Vuillaume Cello, as well as a rare bow by Charles Buthod, circa 1889.