DEREK GRIPPER

Music Revival to host Cape Town-based guitarist in a programme of his latest works.

Music Revival will host Cape Town-based guitarist Derek Gripper in a programme of works from his latest two recording projects: Ayo (original works for solo guitar) and Prayers and Dances (from the "Six Solo" by J.S. Bach). He will also present the South African premiere of two of his new compositions. Derek has recently returned from successful concerts in Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland, where he presented his original South African compositions as well as his own arrangements of Bach's works for unaccompanied violin.

Derek Gripper is considered one of South Africa's top concert guitarists. As a composer for guitar he has created a new sound that is rooted in the music of Africa. He has brought this new music, along with the early music, traditional classical, and contemporary classical repertoire to a growing audience in numerous countries. His style of performance is relaxed and spontaneous, but rich in musical content and artistic depth. Since 2004 Derek has played a guitar made by German luthier Hermann Hauser III, grandson of Segovia's guitar maker.

He has studied with many of the world's leading guitarists (Odair Assad, Carlos Bonnell, Nikita Koshkin, Jonathan Leathwood, Paul Galbraith, Craig Ogden, Andrew York, Luis Zea, Montes-Kircher) as well as with notable performers in India (Lalgudi Krishnan, Ganesh, V.V.Umashankar). He has been first prize-winner in the 1998 South African National Guitar Competition, and in the 1998 Avril Kinsey Guitar Competition, and has performed to critical acclaim in the UK, Sweden, Brazil, Germany, Namibia, and South Africa. After hearing Derek perform at his guitar course held in Brazil in 2006, Grammy Nominee Paul Galbraith described him as a "vital presence in the international guitar scene." Derek's own compositions are frequently playlisted on radio, and used for television (Going Nowhere Slowly)

Outside of his work within the traditional concert format, Derek's collaborations with Cape Folk/Jazz musician Alex van Heerden and Cape Town contrabass player and composer Brydon Bolton have led to numerous recordings and performances to audiences around their home country. Most notable is the SABC recording Sagtevlei (2002), and the composition for guitar, accordion, trumpet and string quartet Spore by die Bek van 'n Ystervarkgat, (2004) which has been performed with The Sontonga Quartet and Madosini. The three musicians have recently recorded a live CD called The Sagtevlei Trio: Live at the Arena.

While Derek's first solo release, Blomdoorns, (2003) re-invented the Cape's music while he was still experimenting with the eight-string guitar developed by Paul Galbraith, his latest recordings are of the "Six Solo" by J.S. Bach ("Prayers and Dances"), as well as new music for six-string guitar, on a cd called Ayo. All of these CDs are available from www.derekgripper.com.

Derek Gripper will appear on May 28 at 19h00 for 19h30 at 35 Montgomery Drive, Athlone, Pietermaritzburg. Ticket R80 includes wine and coffee. Booking essential through Music Revival on 033 342 3051 or booking@musicrevival.co.za