Born in South Africa, Tish has been living in Auckland New Zealand since 2007, receiving her citizenship in 2016.  

She began playing the steelpan at school in South Africa in 1997 from the age of 12. Her love for the instrument has continued to strengthen over time and from truly understanding the roots and story of the instrument's Caribbean heritage.  "The world of pan is a fascinating and exciting place and I am so happy to be part of it! I just want everyone to hear it and experience it for themselves!" 

Tish founded The Steel Workshop, which was officially established on the 1st of April 2016. With the assistance of a crowd-funding platform through The Arts Foundation called BOOSTED, Tish raised enough money to purchase a small orchestra of steelpan instruments from pan maker, ace pannist, pan teacher, arranger & professional musician, Lennox Jordan.

Her initial concept was to do “travelling workshops” to schools around the Auckland region. She wanted to bring the pans into their environment with the hope of creating enough interest amongst the teachers and students to create more school steel bands.

Tish also works with other already established steelbands around New Zealand, including The Caribbeanz Southern Stars, The Panimals, and Bay Silver Pans.  She is an active member of PANZ (The Pan Association of Australia and New Zealand) and held the vice president position in 2016 and was voted PANZ President for 2017, and again in 2018.  Tish has assisted in the organization of the PANZfest Steelband Festivals in both 2017 & 2019, which took place in Cairns & Brisbane, Australia respectfully. She was also on the planning committee for the first Aotearoa Steelband Festival, which took place in Auckland in February 2018.

Passionate about growing this music in New Zealand, Viljoen’s vision of a tightly-knit small ensemble working on ambitious arrangements was realized when she founded Steel'n Beats Steelband in 2018. Based in Auckland, Steel’n Beats are at the heart of a range of projects using music to inspire and educate, in chorus with an unlikely global steelband underground.  “We have become a family and our gigs are the highlight of everyone’s week,” she says.  Under her musical direction, Steel’n Beats continue to be local goodwill ambassadors for one of the great musics of modern times. 

Determined to build interest in the younger generation of Aotearoa New Zealand, Tish has in 2020 started the Auckland Youth Steel Orchestra for children between the ages of 7 and 16.  Still a small unit, her goal is to slowly build up a growing steel orchestra purposely focused on children, no matter their musical or social ability.  "I want them to experience the fun, excitement and joy of playing in a steelband, as there is nothing else like it!"