(Tim Moloi)
(Reviews from the artSMart team currently in Grahamstown
at the 2015 National Arts Festival)
A most enjoyable concert.
(Review by Keith Millar)
The KwaZulu-Natal
Philharmonic Orchestra was billed as being in residence at the National Arts
Festival in Grahamstown. However, there is a lot more than meets the eye to a
tag such as this.
Look at this, for
example. The orchestra members had to get up very early last Saturday morning
to get to Durban’s King Shaka airport from where they flew to Port Elizabeth. They
were then bussed to Grahamstown for a quick check-in at their accommodation before
going straight into rehearsals for their Symphony Concert which took place at 19h00
that evening. In the circumstances, the sheer quality of their performance at
this concert speaks volumes for their skill and talent.
On Sunday morning
they had rehearsals for their Gala Concert which was performed at 15h00 in the
afternoon. The Chamber Ensemble then had to give a recital at the Rhodes Chapel
at 19h00.
Monday morning saw
rehearsals again before two performances of their light music programme, The Heart of the Matter with the Best of
Friends, at 14h00 and 19h30. In between, several of them were involved in
the Children’s Concert at 17h00 at the Monument Theatre.
With a workload
such as that, it is to their enormous credit that they were able to keep
smiling and make wonderful music together throughout their residency at the
festival.
The final concert involving
the full orchestra was the light music programme The Heart of the Matter with the Best of Friends.The orchestral
light music concert has become a staple at the festival and is very popular
with festival goers. This year, the featured composer was Lorenz Hart along
with others of that era.
Richard Cock
conducts this concert and also keeps the audience entertained with his witty
patter between musical items. The soloists were Tim Moloi (tenor), Este Meerkotter
(soprano) and the ever-present Nicholas Nicolaidis (tenor).
The music performed
included: Fly Me to the Moon, S’wonderful S’marvelous, My Funny Valentine, A Whole New World, Unforgettable,
I Love Paris in the Springtime, The Lady is a Tramp, Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered, My Way and Mac the Knife.
Orchestral works
were Salute to Ol’ Blue Eyes, a
rousing 76 Trombones and Andrew Lloyd
Webber’s Memory.
This was a most enjoyable
concert. All the singers acquitted themselves well and the orchestra was in
excellent swing music mode. The audience showed their appreciation with
enthusiastic cheers and applause throughout. – Keith Millar
(For more information on the National Arts Festival click
on the banner advert at the top of this page or visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za)
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