Encouraging evidence that classical music is alive and well
among young people in KZN. (Review by Michael Green)
The final concert of the year of the Friends of Music, in
the Durban Jewish Centre, was, as usual, called Rising Stars and presented
young performers of particular promise and ability.
The concert was organised in collaboration with the South
African Society of Music Teachers and it presented nine performers, four of
them singers, three pianists, a violinist and a saxophonist. It was attended by
a sizeable audience of relatives and friends.
The performers, all of them from KwaZulu-Natal, ranged in
age from 15 to 18. The programme covered many of the standard classics, from
Handel to Bartok, with some modern popular music.
Obviously it would be unfair and unproductive to apply strict
critical judgment to a concert of this kind. Suffice it to say that there was
plenty of encouraging evidence that classical music is alive and well among
young people in our part of the world, in spite of the many
counter-attractions.
The performers were:
Nathalie Hartman, soprano, a Grade 12 pupil at Northlands
Girls’ High School.
Kialan Pillay, aged 15, from Eden College, Durban, a pianist
who played Mozart and Grieg.
Mitchell Green, 17, from Hilton College, saxophonist who,
accompanied by Bobby Mills, played two pieces by Debussy.
Sabrina Loubser, 17, from Ashton College, Ballito, who
performed songs by Debussy and Delius.
Tyrell Pillay, 17, pianist from Eden College, playing music
by Mozart, Sergei Slominsky and Bartok.
Simesihle Nkosi, 18, singer from Eden College, songs by
Schubert and Giulio Caccini.
Samantha Parle, 16, pianist from Durban Girls’ College,
Mendelssohn, Ginastera and Gershwin.
Nontobeko Bhengu, 17, singer, Handel, Puccini and Gershwin.
Blake Perryman, 16, violinist from Kearsney College, playing
Mozart.
- Michael Green
Friends of Music is supported by the National Lotteries
Commission.
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