(Christopher
Duigan & David Salleras. Pic by Val
Adamson)
Interview by Estelle
Sinkins
The launch of Midnight Blue, the new album by Christopher Duigan and David
Salleras, takes place at 'Casa Mexicana', 35 Montgomery Drive, Athlone,
Pietermaritzburg, on March 22
at 19h30.
The album, which
was recorded at the SABC studios in Durban, features eight new compositions
including Conversations, Turning In,
Midnight Chorale and Four Nocturnes
(2015).
Pietermaritzburg based concert pianist, Christopher Duigan, experienced a ‘profound musical
connection’ with Spanish saxophonist, David Salleras, when the two men met through
mutual friend, Durban-based saxophonist Maxine Mathews in 2012.
While rehearsing
for a series of concerts in South Africa, the talented musicians started
chatting about repertoire and improvising Piazzolla tango numbers they both
knew.
“I recognised
within minutes this was someone I had a very profound musical connection with,”
said Duigan. “It’s a surreal experience to finally find someone who ‘speaks'
your musical language so fluently and is in tune with your temperament!”
Salleras agrees,
adding: “It is difficult to find that kind of connection with other musicians,
that level of intensity. We both do a lot of projects, with different
musicians, and of course it works - but sometimes, we find someone that we
really have a strong feeling with and it’s easy to make things happen. That was
what happened to us.”
Duigan, who created
the popular Music Revival series is a key driver behind the visits by the
KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra to Pietermaritzburg for concerts. Asked whether he preferred playing or
composing, he said: “I’m a novice composer really. I have no training or formal
education as a composer. Creating music as I call it is a very new field for
me. It is still a very fresh experience to share these pieces with an audience.
Performing your own music, especially
as my music is very personal, is very daunting, especially when you have had
the music of some of the greatest geniuses of European civilisation running
through your hands over the last 40 years.”
Salleras, whose
compositions are performed the world over, believes each discipline has its
merits. “I’m not really a composer,” he says, “I like to improvise with my
instrument, and what I do is write on paper my improvisations, but it’s a big
satisfaction when I play my music, or see other musicians play my music.”
As for what they
have learned from each other Duigan says he is inspired by Salleras’s
performance discipline and standard of commitment.
“He’s taught me to
be self-assured in my music,
too,” he added. “Having one of the world’s leaders in classical saxophone
playing promoting, publishing and requesting more of your music is very
affirming.”
Salleras,
meanwhile, says Duigan has been a good influence on him, adding: “He has the
capacity to create different things: he has the ability to create music, play
the most difficult works for piano and at the same time organise a tour around
South Africa. This is because he has a big capacity of work and can focus on
the things that really matter, something that inspires me a lot.”
Both men enjoy
playing with the KZN Philharmonic. “Playing with any orchestra is amazing but
with the KZN Philharmonic it’s something special as I have worked with these
players for over 25 years,” says Duigan. “I have developed personal
relationships with many of the musicians so it’s like a big group of friends
really. It is also the most illustrious orchestra in Africa.”
Midnight Blue is Duigan and Salleras’s second album
together and is a follow-up to Indigo. It features Duigan’s Four
Nocturnes.
Duigan says of the
work: “It is a varied album that takes you in and out of a central set of Four
Nocturnes. It’s more serious and certainly intense but also different to our
previous recording. I’m very proud of it. It was recorded as a demo in one afternoon which I was so pleased with
after repeated listening that we decided to release it. It manages to capture
something of a live spontaneity (including a few flaws) which is very rare and
real.”
Salleras has
arranged a concert tour with Duigan in Spain, something he has been keen to do
since Duigan spent time in his country in February 2015.
“We did two little
concerts,” Salleras added, “and
at one of these concerts the manager of the Giorquestra (Girona Symphonic
orchestra) was very impressed
with our playing and Chris’ compositions. So, we started to speak about doing a
tour in the north of Spain, near Barcelona and now it is finally happening.
We will do three concerts with
orchestra, two concerts with only Chris and me, and Chris will do two solo
recitals. People are waiting to see him! One of the concerts it’s already full!”
Duigan is looking
forward to the concerts, saying: “As a new composer I am honoured to have the
KZN Philharmonic play two of my pieces in this local concert; but in Spain the
orchestra concerts will include a full half of the programme devoted to my music.
That’s incredible for me! The brief
experience I had in Spain last year performing and also attending concerts in
and around Barcelona was hugely moving. I saw how well concert halls, artists, and orchestras were supported by
funding, in the media and in particular by the audience.
“It was a very
emotional moment for me when I realised what a struggle (albeit a rewarding
one) it is on a daily basis to play music, win people over and promote
classical music performance in this country. It was quite overwhelming to see
such recognition and level of reception at the performances I attended. I’m
certainly looking forward to be part of that.”
Tickets for the
launch of Midnight Blue on March 22 1t
19h30 are R150 which includes
refreshments and wine on arrival. Booking is essential. Email booking@musicrevival.co.za
or SMS 083 417 4473. Safe parking is available. – Estelle Sinkins
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