MOZART FESTIVAL

Star pianists to play at Johannesburg International Mozart Festival.

The Johannesburg International Mozart Festival, which takes place from January 23 to February 9, will give audiences the opportunity to celebrate Mozart’s musical genius with internationally acclaimed pianists and other excellent musicians from around South Africa and the world.

Piano soloists Florian Uhlig, Matthias Fletzberger, Malcolm Nay, Nina Schumann and Luis Magalhães will be joined on stage during the course of the festival by the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra, The Imperial College Symphony Orchestra and musicians from the West Eastern Divan Orchestra, together with excellent vocalists.

A regular performer with the KZN Philharmonic and the first person to perform on the orchestra’s new grand piano, Florian Uhlig has been Artistic Director of the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival since 2008. During his illustrious career, he has performed with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Dresden Philharmonic, the Munich Symphony Orchestra, the Radio Symphony Orchestra Saarbrücken, the Stuttgart Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Chamber Orchestra, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. Uhlig will be on stage at the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival on January 24, 27 and 28 as well as on February 4 and 7.

Matthias Fletzberger is a native Viennese, and began his career at the age of five as one of the youngest students of all times at the Viennese Music University. The beginning of his career was marked by various accolades at international piano competitions and he has played with major international orchestras and conductors. He was also renowned as a chamber-musician and vocal accompanist for artists like Isaac Stern, Maurice Gendron, Gérad Souzay or Gabriel Bacquier, before he turned his focus in 1986 to his second career as a conductor, strongly supported by Rolf Liebermann and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Fletzberger will perform on February 3, together with Lidia Baich on violin.

Local legend Malcolm Nay is one of the most charismatic South African chamber musicians and is a popular solo recitalist. He obtained a B. Mus. degree and Postgraduate Performer’s Licentiate (cum laude) at the University of the Witwatersrand, with pianists Pauline Nossel and Isabel Stengel as his mentors and teachers. In 1978 he went to study overseas with the P.J. Lemmer Scholarship, being awarded a place with the famous Hungarian pianist, Bela Siki. During his time in the USA he performed and recorded extensively, winning numerous prizes.. Since his return to South Africa, he has appeared as a soloist with most major local orchestras, and throughout the country. He is currently head of the practical teaching staff at Wits University, whilst also managing an active concert career. Nay will appear with the Imperial College Symphony Orchestra from the UK on January 30.

Husband and wife due Luis Magalhães and Nina Schumann met in January 1999 while studying at the University of North Texas, USA, with Vladimir Viardo. They formed the Magalhães-Schumann Piano Duo later that year, and have since performed to great acclaim across the USA, Portugal, Germany, Austria, South Africa and Mozambique. They will give a duo piano recital performing works from Brahms and Stravinsky on January 31.

Following her first appearance with orchestra at the age of 15, Schumann has become one of South Africa’s leading pianists and is currently appointed as Associate Professor and Head of Piano at the Department of Music, Stellenbosch University.

Portuguese pianist Luis Magalhães started playing piano aged five and became a concert pianist at the age of nine. He has given numerous recital, concerto and chamber music performances in Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. He is also a Universal Music recording artist and a lecturer in piano at the Department of Music, Stellenbosch University.

Tickets for the Linder Auditorium range from R135 to R165 booked through Computicket with a 10% discount for students, pensioners and block bookings of 10 or more. Tickets R160 for Northwards House include supper and wine on Sundays (glass of wine on other days) available from Caroline on 011 447 9264. Tickets for events at the Holy Trinity Church in Braamfontein are R120 or R100 for pensioners and students, and can also be bought from Caroline on 011 447 9264. For more information visit www.join-mozart-festival.org