(Above: Aiden Luo, Zonke Zincume, Bjorn Kruger, Dhenishta Chetty, Amy Luo, Magugu Duma & Owethu Makula. Not in the picture: Joshua Griffiths and Nolwazi Nkwanyana. Pic by Val Adamson)
Other than it being a heart-warming occasion to hear a group of young artists performing with great passion and not inconsiderable skill, the importance of a concert such as this cannot be underestimated. (Review by Keith Millar)
Sunday’s Baroque 2000 concert which took place at the Mariannhill Monastery Church featured a line-up of gifted young musicians who performed a programme of concerti and arias by Handel, Bach, Purcell, and Corelli.
Other than it being a heart-warming occasion to hear a group of young artists performing with great passion and not inconsiderable skill, the importance of a concert such as this cannot be underestimated.
The wonderful and vast repertoire of baroque music is often under-appreciated and it is young people such as this who will carry the genre forward for the enjoyment of all in future generations.
The first Young Barocker on stage was Trumpeter Joshua Griffiths, a Grade 10 music student from Kearsney College. He played the Sonata in D major Z850 for trumpet by the great English composer of the middle baroque period, Henry Purcell. A performance of aplomb and confidence.
He was followed by the lovely soprano voice of Durban Girls College’s Owethu Makaula. This Grade 11 student sang the aria Lashia ch’io Pianga from George Frederic Handel’s opera Rinaldo.
No strangers to the Durban stage are violinists 15 year-old Weien (Amy), and 12 year-old Xizhi (Aiden) Luo. They performed Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto Gosso Op6 No4 in D major. These multi-talented siblings are equally adept at the piano and between them have won many awards for their performances. Both are members of the KZN Youth Orchestra where Amy has been concertmaster for the past two years.
The Herr Dein Mitleid aria from Johan Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio was next on the programme. This was sung by the striking Dhenishta Chetty, who has a beautiful coloratura soprano voice. She is an opera student at the University of KZN.
Joining her was Bjorn Kruger a bass from Kearsney College. He previously studied at the Drakensberg Boys Choir School.
Later in the programme Dhenishta was joined by trumpeter Joshua Griffiths to perform George Frideric Handel’s Eternal Source of Love Devine.
Dido’s Lament from Dido & Aeneas by Henry Purcell was sung with emotion and skill by Mezzo Soprano Zonke Zincume. She is another student studying opera at the University of KZN’s excellent Opera School.
Completing the programme of Young Barockers was another impressive soprano from the University of KZN’s Opera School. Magugu Duma displayed a strong and effortless voice as she sang Handel’s Piangero La Sorte Mia from Giulio Ceasare.
The final Baroque 2000 concert for the year will take place at the Mariannhill Monastery Church at 11h30 on December 17.
For more information, contact Michel Schneuwly at sursouth@iafrica.com or on 0823035241. – Keith Millar
Baroque 2000 is sponsored by Die Rupert Musiekstigting.
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