KZNPO PRE-CONCERT LECTURES

The summer season of symphony concerts by the KZN Philharmonic opens on February 11. (Report by Michael Green)

The summer season of symphony concerts given by the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra begins on February 11 and so do the pre-concert lectures organised by the Friends of Music.

The lectures are given in the Royal Hotel at 18h15 and end at 19h00 in good time for those attending to stroll over to the City Hall for the concert beginning at 19h30. The purpose of these talks is to introduce the compositions being performed that night. The speakers give an entertaining and informative background to the music and provide musical illustrations of the themes to be heard in works on the programme.

Regular attendees say these lectures add greatly to their enjoyment of the concerts, and one seasoned concert-goer said recently that she was now “hooked” on the lectures.

The first three lecturers of the new season are: Michael Green, speaking on music by Mozart, Brahms and Cesar Franck (February 11); Ted Brien on Beethoven (February 18), Bobby Mills on Shostakovich and Rachmaninov (February 25). All three speakers are well-known on the KZN musical scene, and they have shown in the past that they display humour and the light touch as they share their knowledge of music with the audience.

Lecture tickets R30 include tea, coffee and sandwiches. – Michael Green