(Adé
Williams, who will perform at the Season’s opening concert on May 15)
The KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic launches its Winter Symphony
Season, a series of six Thursday evening concerts, at the Durban City Hall
running from May 15 to June 19.
Launched by Zubin Mehta in 1996, the World Symphony Series
continues to attract the cream of international and South African musicians.
The outstanding feature of this winter season is the variety
it offers, ensuring that a wide range of KZN music-lovers will feel compelled
to see and hear the Orchestra performing this selection live. With at least 70
musicians on stage at each concert, this promises to be musical entertainment
at its very best.
This season brings diversity in both repertoire and soloists
which include violin, classical guitar, piano and opera singers. Two of the
concerts feature choral works whilst the closing concert of the season is an
opera gala showcasing international rising star, Metropolitan Opera
mezzo-soprano Krysty Swann. Popular South African soloists include Francois du
Toit, Chris Duigan (both piano) and James Grace (classical guitar).
Commenting on the Season, Bongani Tembe, Chief Executive and
Artistic Director of the KZN Philharmonic, said, “An important component of the
KZN Philharmonic’s Professional Development Initiative is offering performance
opportunities to young talented South African musicians - this often acts as a
springboard to their future professional careers. In keeping with this
initiative, every year members of the Bochabela String Orchestra, who comprise
young budding musicians mostly from the townships around Bloemfontein, travel
to Durban to perform alongside the Orchestra.”
The opening concert on May 15 will feature the Bochabela
Strings as well as a 16 year-old up-and-coming American violin star, Adé
Williams, as soloist. This concert is dedicated to the global Music against
Child Labour Initiative.
On the educational front, visiting conductors and soloists
have been approached to present master-classes to members of the KZN
Philharmonic’s National Cadetship Programme as well as to students of the
Durban Music School and the UKZN Opera School.
The Thursday night symphony concerts commence at 19h30. However,
for those who enjoy more background to what they are going to listen to, there
is a pre-concert lecture in association with the Friends of Music at 18h15 in
the Alhambra Room at the Playhouse Theatre across the road from the City Hall.
This season’s lecturers are:
May 15 and June 5 - Michael Green
May 22 and June 12 - Liezl-Maret Jacobs
May 29 - Ted Brien
June 19 - Daniel Walshaw
Booking is through Computicket (single tickets) or by
calling the KZN Philharmonic’s booking office on 031-369 9404 or email bookings@kznphil.org.za (season
tickets for subscribers).
The KZN Youth Wind Band will also entertain concertgoers for
free outside the City Hall on Church Walk from 18h30 on concert nights –
details of exact dates will become available on the KZN Philharmonic’s website.
Click on the advert at the top of this page or go to www.kznphil.org.za
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