(Pic by Val Adamson: Christopher Duigan)Hats off to pianist Christopher Duigan who has just been accorded the honour of being named a ‘Steinway Artist’. As such, he joins the ranks of a select band of renowned pianists around the world.
Duigan is a considerable force in South African music circles, both as a fine solo artist, and as an unflaggingly creative and industrious music entrepreneur. He richly deserves the accolade of being honoured by the world’s leading piano manufacturers. Steinway includes on its roster legendary names stretching back from Ignaz Paderewski, Vladimir Horowitz and Artur Rubenstein, to Marta Argerich, Alfred Brendel, Lang Lang, Brad Mehldau, and many more.
In March 2007 Duigan shared the stage with the cream of South African pianists for the return of Steinway and Sons to South Africa. “We are delighted to welcome Christopher Duigan to our band of ‘local heroes’ as a member of the Steinway family,” says Deon van Vuuren, the owner of Pianoforte Steinway SA in Cape Town. Steinway & Sons has previously named five South Africans to its worldwide artist roster: Abdullah Ibrahim, Bheki Mseleku, Anton Nel, Charl Du Plessis and Jill Richards.
Widely regarded as one of South Africa’s busiest and most innovative concert pianists, Christopher Duigan has maintained an active performing schedule since his professional debut with Cape Town Symphony Orchestra in 1991. He has performed extensively with all leading South African orchestras including the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic, Cape Philharmonic and Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestras in a repertoire of more than 25 concerti. In 2006 he was invited to appear with the KZNPO in the opening concert of their World Symphony Series Winter Season. In recital, he has achieved a popular following through his innovative presentation and programming featuring a broad and eclectic taste in music.
International performances include those in London at St Martins in the Field, St James’- Piccadilly, South Africa House and at the Edinburgh Festival 2001 and 2003 where he was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Many of his live performances have been broadcast on SABC Radio and TV and his CD recordings are regularly aired on ClassicFM and Fine Music Radio. In March 2007, he shared the stage with the cream of South African pianists for the return of Steinway and Sons to South Africa. Engagements for 2009 included recitals at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town and Endler Hall in Stellenbosch and concerto performances with the KZNPO.
Based in KwaZulu-Natal, he is committed to promoting classical music locally and further a field. As producer and impresario he is the director of the widely acclaimed Music Revival which he established in 1997 and now includes the Concert Series at the Hilton Arts Festival, the Franschhoek La Motte Classic Music Festival and performances by the KZNPO’s Concert in the Park as annual events. In addition, Music Revival presents numerous recitals and chamber music performances throughout KZN, Johannesburg and the Cape Winelands.
Through his groundbreaking work as Music Revival, he has been able to attract new audiences, build an unusually large and loyal following and re-invent many of the norms of concert performance especially with regard to presentation and programming. His crossover presentations combining virtuoso and popular classical repertoire with jazz transcriptions, ragtime, tango and film music have been particularly enthusiastically received. Music Revival has also offered numerous performance opportunities to some of South Africa’s leading young artists including sopranos Angela Gilbert and Bronwen Forbay, baritone Federico Freschi, a number of musicians and ensembles from the KZNPO including the Kerimov Trio, and classical guitarist James Grace.
Christopher Duigan studied at the then University of Natal with Isabella Stengel, the University of Cape Town with Lamar Crowson and Albie van Schalkwyk, leading to postgraduate study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with Brazilian virtuoso Arnaldo Cohen. In Manchester, he was awarded the Professional Performer’s Diploma and won first prize in the prestigious RNCM Recital Prize for Pianists. In addition, he has received the UNISA Overseas Scholarship Competition (1994), Crossly/Kramer Scholarships for International Study from UCT, 1st prize in the Adolph Hallis Piano Competition (1996), awards for the best South African pianist in the UNISA International Piano Competition (1996) and the Cape Town Symphony’s Joseph Lan Award for his performance of the Bartok Piano Concerto No 3 (1994). He has participated in master classes at Dartington Summer School with Stephen Kovacevich and at the Mozarteum, Salzburg.
Earlier this year Christopher Duigan presented Celebrating Chopin, a recital programme marking the 200th anniversary of Frederic Chopin’s birth, in more than 11 performances including those in Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Franschhoek, the Memorial Concert Hall at Hilton College and Johannesburg. He performed this programme in Pretoria for the ClassicFM Soirees in March. His programme will be reprised in four performances at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in June.
Other major forthcoming performances include recitals in Durban at the Howard College Theatre in Durban and at the Franschhoek Literary Festival in May, concerto performances with the KZNPO in the City Hall Pietermaritzburg (August) and in the World Symphony Series in the City Hall, Durban.
For more information on Steinway & Sons pianos contact Pianoforte Pty Ltd – Sole Southern African importers – Bryn Van Wyk at bryn@pianoforte.co.za or visit www.pianoforte.co.za For more information about Christopher Duigan and his full schedule of concerts visit www.musicrevival.co.za
Posts
