(Daniel
Boico, KZN Philharmonic’s Associate Guest Conductor, launches the 2018 Summer
Symphony Season on February 22)
The KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic has
announced details of its four-concert 2018 Summer Season. The concerts will run
in The Playhouse Opera each Thursday between February 22 and March 15, starting
at 19h30. The season will be presented as part of the Orchestra’s World
Symphony Series (WSS) which launched in Durban 22 years ago.
Bongani Tembe, KZN Philharmonic’s chief
executive and artistic director said: “I am delighted to continue the WSS brand
thereby ensuring we attract the finest International conductors and soloists to
our concert platform along with leading South African artists.”
For its concert on February 22, the KZN
Phil welcomes the return of its associate guest conductor, Daniel Boico, with a
programme of three concert block-busters. Boico opens his programme exploring
the high drama of Frantz Liszt’s famed symphonic poem, Les Préludes, before being joined onstage by the Ukraine-born
soloist, Anna Dmytrenko, for a performance of Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No 2
in G minor. Boico brings the evening to a close with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No
4 in F minor.
Canadian-Caribbean conductor Kwamé Ryan
takes the podium on March 1 with an all-French programme, opening with the
Overture to Gabriel Fauré’s 1919 neo-classical Masques et Bergamasques Suite.
South African flautist Liesl Stoltz will be showcased in Cécile Chaminade's
decorative one-movement Flute Concertino in D major; and François Borne’s
sultry Fantaisie brillante, based on themes from Bizet’s opera Carmen. Sandwiched between these two pieces
for a star flautist is the1897 symphonic poem, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas, a work made famous by its
inclusion in the 1940 Disney animated classic, Fantasia. After intermission, Ryan rounds off his programme with
the popular Symphony in D minor by César Franck.
Dutch conductor Arjan Tien returns to the
podium for the two remaining concerts of the season. Music by Schubert and
Beethoven feature on the bill for the first of his engagements on March 8.
Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture and well-loved
Fifth Symphony are set to delight concert-goers with their inexhaustible wealth
melodies and scores that bear the imprints of his sunny nature. Maestro Tien’s
programme complements these pieces with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major,
featuring Germany’s new-generation concert luminary, Daniel Röhn, in one of his
signature pieces.
Tien brings the season to a close on March 15
with a dynamic programme comprising three contrasting masterworks. Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart’s foreboding Don Giovanni Overture is geared create an
atmosphere charged with suspense before the evening’s father-and-son duo, Max
Baillie (violin) and Alexander Baillie (cello) take the solo spots performing
Brahms’s A minor Double Concerto. The
composer’s final orchestral composition, this will offer a rewarding experience
for listeners. Sibelius’s powerful Second Symphony concludes the evening.
Season tickets as well as bookings for
individual concerts are available now through Computicket. Call 0861 915 8000
or book online at www.computicket.com.
For more information call 031 369 9438, email bookings@kznphil.org.za or
visit www.kznphil.org.za.
Chamber music lovers can look forward to
Friends of Music’s opening recital of the year on Tuesday (January 16) at the
Durban Jewish Centre, 44 KE Masinga (Old Fort) Road. The acclaimed
London-based, American violinist, Miriam Kramer will perform an exciting
programme of music by Bartok, Bach, Elgar, Schumann, Piazzolla, Block and
Sarasate, accompanied by pianist Nicholas Durcan.
The evening’s prelude
performer is the 15-year old pianist and violinist, Rachel Wedderburn-Maxwell,
from Durban Girls College. She will perform Mendelssohn’s Rondo and Capriccioso
Op 14 and Kreisler's Praeludium and Allegro. Her accompanist is Molly Chen.
Tickets are R100 (members) R120 (non-members) available at the door. The
recital starts at 19h30 and safe parking is provided.
Christopher Duigan opens the year’s Music
Revival programme of monthly concerts with an concise overview of the piano
music of George Gershwin. Popular with audiences of classical, jazz and popular
music Gershwin's holds a unique place as a crossover composer. Celebrating his
contribution to the 'classical' piano repertoire Duigan plays the Three Preludes, the iconic Rhapsody in Blue and the Gershwin Songbook. This virtuoso
selection of 19 compact and delightful improvisations by Gershwin of his own
popular songs, provides a whirlwind pianistic tour-de-force through the songs
of the composer. Included are Fascinating Rhythm, The Man I Love, ‘S'Wonderful and I Got Rhythm. Duigan completes the
programme with ragtime music by Scott Joplin and novelty solos Dizzy Fingers (Zez Confrey) and Nola (Felix Arndt).
Duigan performs his Gershwin programme in a
number of venues. He appears on Monday January 29 at 19h00 at Grace Hall Ashton
International College, Albertina Way, Ballito (opposite Ballito
Hospital). Tickets are R150 with coffee and cake included at interval. Seating
is unreserved. The programme will be presented in Pietermaritzburg at 35
Montgomery Drive, Athlone, on Friday January 26 at 19h45 and Sunday 28 at 11h00
at the Tatham Art Gallery, and at St Agnes Church in Kloof in Tuesday January
30 at 19h30. Booking for all these concerts is at Music Revival email
booking@musicrevival.co.za or at 083 417
4473 (SMS or WhatsApp preferred). Or visit www.musicrevival.co.za – William Charlton-Perkins
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