The Durban International Film Festival has finalised selection for this year's edition of Talent Campus Durban (July 22 to 26).
Nearly 50 filmmakers representing 16 African countries - Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d'Iivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, and Zimbabwe - will converge on Durban to take part in an intensive programme of workshops and masterclasses during the first five days of the festival.
The Talents, who were selected through a rigorous application process, will also have the opportunity to attend screenings and events at the 32nd Durban International Film Festival which runs from July 21 to 31. Themed Africa in Motion, the 4th Talent Campus Durban this year also includes a Doc Station component where three selected talents will receive expert mentoring before pitching their documentary projects to financiers, commissioning editors and potential co-producers within the Durban FilmMart.
Monica Rorvik, Talent Campus manager and assistant manager of the DIFF, comments: "Talent Campus Durban has already made a significant contribution to growing both skills and opportunities for African filmmakers. The festival has noted more film submissions coming from talents - this year DIFF is screening many films by previous Talent Campus participants. Career paths are opening up internationally for some of them, such as Cameroonian filmmaker Ariane Astrid Adoji, whose first film premiered in DIFF 2010 and was then picked up for screenings at Goteborg, Dubai and HotDocs festivals, winning an award in Dubai. Ariane returns to Durban this year with a new project in the Durban FilmMart.”
Talent Campus Durban is a partnership project between the Durban International Film Festival in cooperation with the Berlinale Talent Campus and the Berlin International Film Festival, and is supported by the German Embassy in South Africa, the Goethe-Institut, and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism. Apart from the main event in Berlin, Talent Campus partnerships also take place at selected festivals in Buenos Aires, Guadalajara and Sarajevo. A further Talent Campus is envisaged for Japan. Opportunities for participating talents are enhanced through Talent Campus networks and the Berlinale’s global information platform.
The Durban International Film Festival is organised by the Centre For Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) with support by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (principal funder), National Film and Video Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, HIVOS, City Of Durban, German Embassy, Goethe Institut, and a range of other valued partners.
For more information on DIFF, click on the button ad for the Centre for Creative Arts at the top of this page which will take you through to the DIFF website. More information on 031 260 2506/1367, fax 031 260 3074 or e-mail: talent@ukzn.ac.za or talent.durban@gmail.com
Thursday, June 23, 2011
RISE UP YOUTH FESTIVAL
After a month of exciting live shows and educational clinics and workshops at Stable theatre, the Rise Up Youth Festival will close off with more workshops and a Hip Hop show, Urban Grooves [Re-Up] on June 25.
The clinics will see Durban’s acclaimed music producer, KatalystNDO, hosting the Music Production Clinics for aspiring producers, and New York-raised rapper, T, will talk to performers on the fundamentals of staging good quality performances at the Performance Clinics. The clinics will run from 10h00 until 11h30 with no cover charge.
The Urban Grooves [Re-Up Session] will kick off straight after at 12h00 with an extensive line-up featuring hot Jo’burg rapper artist, Kwesta supported by Durban rappers such as Niche Fam, C-Elements, Mreppa, RezProph, T, Math and many more. There will also be a Dance Showdown where dance crews will battle it out for a cash prize of R1,000.00. Entry R40.
More information on Join the Youth In The Arts (YITA) group which is presented by Sokwanda Projects under the project management of Jamad Mthembu on Facebook or call Stable Theatre on 031 309 2513. Stable Theatre is situated at 115 Johannes Nkosi Street (formerly Alice Street). Stable theatre news can be found at www.stabletheatre.co.za
The clinics will see Durban’s acclaimed music producer, KatalystNDO, hosting the Music Production Clinics for aspiring producers, and New York-raised rapper, T, will talk to performers on the fundamentals of staging good quality performances at the Performance Clinics. The clinics will run from 10h00 until 11h30 with no cover charge.
The Urban Grooves [Re-Up Session] will kick off straight after at 12h00 with an extensive line-up featuring hot Jo’burg rapper artist, Kwesta supported by Durban rappers such as Niche Fam, C-Elements, Mreppa, RezProph, T, Math and many more. There will also be a Dance Showdown where dance crews will battle it out for a cash prize of R1,000.00. Entry R40.
More information on Join the Youth In The Arts (YITA) group which is presented by Sokwanda Projects under the project management of Jamad Mthembu on Facebook or call Stable Theatre on 031 309 2513. Stable Theatre is situated at 115 Johannes Nkosi Street (formerly Alice Street). Stable theatre news can be found at www.stabletheatre.co.za
DIVAS OF MUSIC AND DANCE
(Photo by Susanne Holbaek: Meagan Olivier, Angela Malan at the front with Jacqui Gruber and Lindé Wessels in “Ring On It”)Dance lovers respond with enthusiastic applause to Mzansi's second production. (Review by Caroline Smart)
The Johannesburg-based Mzansi Productions is a dance company with a versatile performing style that ranges from the classic to the contemporary. Under the directorship of Dirk Badenhorst, Mzansi aims to be relevant in South Africa in the truest sense of the word with a style that addresses a wider market in South Africa and internationally.
KZN dance lovers were privileged to see Mzansi’s first production in KZN, Somebody to Love, at the iZulu Theatre at Sibaya last week. Tonight, with much appreciative applause, enthusiasts responded to the second production, Divas of Music and Dance, which has a short run at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. It pays tribute to such legends as Edith Piaf, Tina Turner, Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Rihanna and Mariah Carey and the first half of the show features screened images of divas “who have led the way” as Mari-Louise Basson describes the women who have inspired her riveting choreography.
The screen provides effective links such as crashing waves which introduced the hit from Titanic and the sequence on weather saw dancers moving gracefully like long-legged seabirds feeding on shorelines. A delightful short piece was performed to the words of Aretha Franklin.
While the show at Sibaya was good, except for the sound quality, Divas of Music and Dance is even more impressive. Thankfully, the sound at the Sneddon for this production is excellent which allows the dancing and the singing to merge into a well-balanced whole.
The better sound quality meant that soloists Anne-Marie Clulow and Shaun V could be fully appreciated and numbers between them were often electric, particularly Tell Him. Anne-Marie’s operatic range dazzled in My Heart Will Go On accompanying a beautiful adagio piece and Time to Say Goodbye, while Shaun V gave a compelling presentation of Beautiful with Craig Arnolds.
Other highlights were Hero with its controlled lifts suiting the soaring element of the song; the lively take on Respect; full-on female power mode for Ring On It, and I Will Always Love You with soloist Kitty Phetla providing an amusing denouement at the close.
After seeing them at Sibaya, there was much expectation to see Craig Arnolds and Michael Revie in their own number. We weren’t disappointed when it eventually came. They further proved their skills with some well-controlled leaps, lifts and a dramatic staged fall in the closing stages of the show.
This is a well-disciplined multi-skilled company and the dancers’ energy and joy of presentation is infectious. What a fantastic and highly valuable opportunity then, for the 15 Durban dancers who form the internship company working alongside the Mzansi group in these two productions.
The musical director is DuPreez Strauss and David Hutt’s costumes are elegant or funky as the style demands. As in the first show, Anneke Oosthuizen’s lighting design was striking without pulling focus from the performers.
Divas of Music and Dance runs at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre with shows until Friday at 19h30, Saturday at 14h30 and19h30 and Sunday at 14h30. Tickets R125 booked at Computicket. Don’t miss it! – Caroline Smart
Mzansi Productions receives funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
CELTIS @ ST CLEMENTS
(Ant Cawthorn-Blazeby, Keri Povall and Ron Uken)St Clements is to present the popular band Celtis live on June 24.
Celtis is an instrumental band that performs traditional and modern Celtic music with a distinctive twist! It comprises features Ron Uken on guitar and percussion, Keri Povall on flute, and Ant Cawthorn-Blazeby on fiddle.
Basing their music on mostly traditional tunes which are guaranteed to get the feet tapping and the soul dancing, flute and fiddle weave in and out of the melodies to create a sparkling tapestry of sound which delights the soul! Celtis welcomes Fiona Grayer on cello, as a new sometime addition to a talented line-up!
The performance starts at approximately 19h30 on June 24. Couvert charge is R50 and full restaurant and bar services are available. St Clements is situated at 191 Musgrave Road on the righthand side a short way down Musgrave after the St Thomas Road intersection. Booking is advised on 031 202 2511.
ENSEMBLE ACJW TO PERFORM AT UKZN
Featuring musicians of The Academy—a programme of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education, the Ensemble ACJW will perform at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on June 22.
Currently on a five week residency in South Africa, in collaboration with the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra., Ensemble ACJW is made up of Angelia Cho (violin); Joanna Marie Frankel (violin); Brenton Caldwell (viola) and Caitlin Sullivan ( violoncello).
Their programme includes Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 20, No. 4; Bartók’s String Quartet No. 4, Movement IV; Kevin Volans’ String Quartet No. 1 White Man Sleeps, Movement IV (Fourth Dance) ; Villa-Lobos’ String Quartet No. 5, Movement and Ives’ String Quartet No 1, Movement III. Also to be performed will be Jennifer Higdon’s Southern Harmony, Movement II, Reel Time and Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 American.
The performance will take place on June 22 at 19h00 in Howard College Theatre on the UKZN campus. Entrance is free.
For more information about The Academy and Ensemble ACJW, visit www.acjw.org and information on the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra can be found at www.kznpo.co.za
Currently on a five week residency in South Africa, in collaboration with the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra., Ensemble ACJW is made up of Angelia Cho (violin); Joanna Marie Frankel (violin); Brenton Caldwell (viola) and Caitlin Sullivan ( violoncello).
Their programme includes Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 20, No. 4; Bartók’s String Quartet No. 4, Movement IV; Kevin Volans’ String Quartet No. 1 White Man Sleeps, Movement IV (Fourth Dance) ; Villa-Lobos’ String Quartet No. 5, Movement and Ives’ String Quartet No 1, Movement III. Also to be performed will be Jennifer Higdon’s Southern Harmony, Movement II, Reel Time and Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 American.
The performance will take place on June 22 at 19h00 in Howard College Theatre on the UKZN campus. Entrance is free.
For more information about The Academy and Ensemble ACJW, visit www.acjw.org and information on the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra can be found at www.kznpo.co.za
SUNDAY SINFONIA: JUNE 19, 2011
Memorable moments from Ian Holloway, Sorin Osorhean and Vessela Minkova. (Review by Michael Green)
The occasional Sunday Sinfonia concerts in St. Thomas’s Church, Musgrave Road, Berea, are arranged by the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra and usually offer chamber music performed by players from the orchestra.
This latest concert gave two big works, one famous, the other virtually unknown. Beethoven’s Septet, Op. 20, was enormously popular in his day and is still featured regularly on programmes of chamber music; the last time in Durban was only six months ago, when it was played for the Friends of Music. It is a six-movement, 40-minute work for seven instruments: four strings plus clarinet, bassoon and horn. It is cheerful, ingenious, melodious and delightful to listen to, from beginning to end.
The performers in the Sinfonia concert were three young visiting musicians from the United States, Angelia Cho (violin), Joanna Marie Frankel (viola) and Caitlin Sullivan (cello), and four players from the KZNPO, Simon Milliken (double bass), Ian Holloway (clarinet), Sorin Osorhean (horn) and Vessela Minkova (bassoon). All played with great skill and obvious enjoyment. The string players were prominent throughout the proceedings, and memorable moments were provided by Ian Holloway’s clarinet in the lovely second movement, by Sorin Osorhean (horn) in the humorous minuet and by Vessela Minkova (bassoon) in the fourth movement, a set of variations.
This is a wonderfully good-humoured work and it left the audience in a good humour, too.
Earlier the same players, with one change and two additions - Brendon Caldwell (viola), Alison Lowell (oboe) and Sabine Baird (flute) - gave what may well have been the first performance in South Africa of George Onslow’s Nonet, Op. 77.
George Onslow is one of the curiosities of musical history. He was born (in 1784) and died (in 1853) in Clermont-Ferrand, in central France. His father was an English aristocrat, his mother was French. He was educated in London but to all intents and purposes he was French, and very famous in his time; his admirers called him the French Beethoven, and Schumann and Mendelssohn had a high opinion of his chamber music (36 string quartets, 34 quintets, 10 trios and much more).
Alas, fame can be ephemeral. Today Onslow is almost forgotten, but there have been attempts in recent years to revive his music. The Nonet (nine instruments) performed at the Sinfonia concert turned out to be a splendid, large-scale work, quite advanced for its time. The four movements are energetic, lyrical, elegant and tuneful, and the balance of the instruments is expert. At times, the nine players achieved almost orchestral effects, and one wondered whether this group should not consider making a recording of this work.
George Onslow may have been treated unfairly by history, but at least he was very lucky in one respect. He is surely the only composer to have been shot in the head and survived. When he was out hunting at the age of 45, a stray bullet grazed his scalp and left him partly deaf in one ear. - Michael Green
The occasional Sunday Sinfonia concerts in St. Thomas’s Church, Musgrave Road, Berea, are arranged by the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra and usually offer chamber music performed by players from the orchestra.
This latest concert gave two big works, one famous, the other virtually unknown. Beethoven’s Septet, Op. 20, was enormously popular in his day and is still featured regularly on programmes of chamber music; the last time in Durban was only six months ago, when it was played for the Friends of Music. It is a six-movement, 40-minute work for seven instruments: four strings plus clarinet, bassoon and horn. It is cheerful, ingenious, melodious and delightful to listen to, from beginning to end.
The performers in the Sinfonia concert were three young visiting musicians from the United States, Angelia Cho (violin), Joanna Marie Frankel (viola) and Caitlin Sullivan (cello), and four players from the KZNPO, Simon Milliken (double bass), Ian Holloway (clarinet), Sorin Osorhean (horn) and Vessela Minkova (bassoon). All played with great skill and obvious enjoyment. The string players were prominent throughout the proceedings, and memorable moments were provided by Ian Holloway’s clarinet in the lovely second movement, by Sorin Osorhean (horn) in the humorous minuet and by Vessela Minkova (bassoon) in the fourth movement, a set of variations.
This is a wonderfully good-humoured work and it left the audience in a good humour, too.
Earlier the same players, with one change and two additions - Brendon Caldwell (viola), Alison Lowell (oboe) and Sabine Baird (flute) - gave what may well have been the first performance in South Africa of George Onslow’s Nonet, Op. 77.
George Onslow is one of the curiosities of musical history. He was born (in 1784) and died (in 1853) in Clermont-Ferrand, in central France. His father was an English aristocrat, his mother was French. He was educated in London but to all intents and purposes he was French, and very famous in his time; his admirers called him the French Beethoven, and Schumann and Mendelssohn had a high opinion of his chamber music (36 string quartets, 34 quintets, 10 trios and much more).
Alas, fame can be ephemeral. Today Onslow is almost forgotten, but there have been attempts in recent years to revive his music. The Nonet (nine instruments) performed at the Sinfonia concert turned out to be a splendid, large-scale work, quite advanced for its time. The four movements are energetic, lyrical, elegant and tuneful, and the balance of the instruments is expert. At times, the nine players achieved almost orchestral effects, and one wondered whether this group should not consider making a recording of this work.
George Onslow may have been treated unfairly by history, but at least he was very lucky in one respect. He is surely the only composer to have been shot in the head and survived. When he was out hunting at the age of 45, a stray bullet grazed his scalp and left him partly deaf in one ear. - Michael Green
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
Johannesburg’s Northcliff High to tour a full scale musical production to the Playhouse making a proud #13 for a 13th year.For the past several weeks, the switchboard at Northcliff High has been fielding calls from the Durban public, enquiring about this year’s musical production and when it will be presented in Durban. It is heartening that there is such keen interest in a theatre offering from a school that has no actual musical or drama facilities but which has built up a reputation due to the sheer determination and enthusiasm of each year’s crop of young performers and their producer/director Nick Jourdan.
Thoroughly Modern Millie has been adapted for the stage from the film starring Julie Andrews and recounts the adventures of the feisty small town girl Millie Dillmount who makes her way to the big city with the aim of finding a well-to-do boss to marry.
The hotel “for single young ladies” in which she stays has as its proprietor, a faded Broadway actress, a Mrs. Meers. Posing as Chinese, she is engaged in the kidnapping of young orphan girls for sale into the slave trade. In a chance encounter, Millie meets the young Jimmy Smith with whom she falls in love, upsetting her carefully-laid plans to marry for money.
A delightfully corny and funny plot laced with catchy and well-known tunes are the substance of this fun musical which is entertaining for the whole family. When it was first staged on Broadway in 2002, it garnered no less than seven Tony awards including best new musical.
Thoroughly Modern Millie runs in the Playhouse Drama from June 28 to July 3, with matinees on July 2 at 14h00 and on July 3 at 15h00. Booking is at Computicket.
JOZI BOOK FAIR 2011
Jozi Book Fair invites writers and poets to participate in the third edition of the Jozi Book Fair, to be hosted at the Museum \Africa, Newtown, from August 6 to 8. The Fair provides writers, poets with a space to launch their book, read from their work and otherwise engage the public.
The Jozi Book Fair is organised by Khanya College to offer small and progressive writers and publishers a forum to showcase their publications and work; network, as well as the opportunity to develop alternative approaches and strategies for publishing. For further information, aims and other activities of Jozi Book Fair visit www.jozibookfair.org.za
Due to space and time constraints, all writers might not be accommodated. A selection process will allocate the limited stands.
All submissions must be accompanied by full contact details, a copy of ID and a letter of declaration stating that the submitted entry is the writer’s own original work. A brief description of the work to be read or launched, and a copy must be sent to Jozi Book Fair. Please note that works submitted cannot be returned to the authors.
All requests to participate to should be emailed to: jozibookfair@khanyacollege.org.za
The Jozi Book Fair is organised by Khanya College to offer small and progressive writers and publishers a forum to showcase their publications and work; network, as well as the opportunity to develop alternative approaches and strategies for publishing. For further information, aims and other activities of Jozi Book Fair visit www.jozibookfair.org.za
Due to space and time constraints, all writers might not be accommodated. A selection process will allocate the limited stands.
All submissions must be accompanied by full contact details, a copy of ID and a letter of declaration stating that the submitted entry is the writer’s own original work. A brief description of the work to be read or launched, and a copy must be sent to Jozi Book Fair. Please note that works submitted cannot be returned to the authors.
All requests to participate to should be emailed to: jozibookfair@khanyacollege.org.za
THE AWAKENING
An evening of poetry and song with Nelisa Kala (pictured)It hasn’t been long since she hung up her earphones in exchange for the microphone but former East Coast Radio presenter Nelisa Kala has been wowing audiences across South Africa with her original sound and powerful lyrics. With a voice that has been described as reminiscent of that of Roberta Flack, Kala’s amazing production, The Awakening, is not to be missed.
The Awakening is a multi-art production which comprises spoken-word poetry and pensive afro-jazz/soul fusion music written and composed by Nelisa Kala which makes its debut appearance at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown running from June 30 to July 10, 2011.
Kala and her team of talented musicians will perform on the Festival Fringe at the Cuervo Room on July 2 and 3 at 22h30 as well as at the Urban Lounge from July 6 to 10 at 11h00.
“The production promotes a spiritual awakening of emotion, positive creative expression and change. It amalgamates several styles of art into one production and explores emotion as it moves through anger, passion, pain, love and finally spiritual growth,” says Kala.
The eclectic combination of various genres of music with traditional Xhosa, Zulu, French and English lyrics intends to appeal to a mass audience. Coupled with moving poetry, this production will lead the way in avant-garde artistic movements. It comprises all of her original poetry and music which, with the accompaniment of a small ensemble, progresses into a divinely-inspired masterpiece.
Nelisa Kala is a highly experienced performer and previous radio personality on East Coast Radio. This vivacious 24 year old is an avid writer whose poetry is often featured online and in print media. Most recently, her works have been a regular feature on dotonline.co.za and Uncut Magazine and she has also been featured on Ses’khona, Studio 53, Amazing Time Detectives and more recently appeared on Top Billing.. She has performed at the Women’s Empowerment Conferences, sharing her poetry with audiences of 500 and more and has also performed at numerous private and corporate functions.
Kala started the trombone at age nine, and has performed at a national level, including performances at the Grahamstown Standard Bank Jazz Festival where she was chosen as a member of the National Youth Big Band annually for a period of four years. She also has a parallel career in theatre and has played in several productions ranging from one-act plays to full scale musicals. She has surrounded herself with an astonishing array of acclaimed performers and art-innovators for this project.
The Awakening hopes to challenge negative perceptions and instil a message of beauty through poetry and song. The production also aims to share a message of strength, endurance and perseverance by motivating change. The high level of audience interaction makes Kala’s performance light hearted and entertaining and guarantees a foot-stomping good time for all.
AFRICA FIRST
Universal Networks International supports Focus Features’ Africa First Initiative.
Universal Networks International will support Focus Features’ unique Africa First initiative that brings African filmmakers to industry attention. Universal Channel in Africa will promote the initiative through an on-air campaign and on its website www.universalchannel.co.za
The Africa First short film programme, sponsored by Focus, annually awards five emerging African filmmakers $10,000 each towards pre-production, production, or post-production of their short film.
This year, the submissions period has already opened and runs through to August 22.
Universal Channel Africa, which is available on DStv Compact & DStv Premium, will air a selection of the short films completed through the program including Un transport en commun (Saint Louis Blues), directed by Dyana Gaye (from Senegal), which follows a journey from Dakar with seven taxi passengers telling of destinies and lives through song.
The uniquely conceived initiative, with funds earmarked exclusively for emerging filmmakers of African nationality and residence, is, for the fourth consecutive year offering eligible and participating filmmakers the chance to be awarded $10,000 in financing for pre-production, production, and/or post-production on their narrative short film made in continental Africa and tapping into the resources of the film industry there. The programme also brings the filmmakers together with each other and with a renowned group of advisors, major figures in the African film world, for support and mentorship.
The five filmmakers selected this year will be notified in late September 2011 and will retain the copyrights and the distribution rights to their completed shorts, with the exception of North American rights; Focus retains those, as well as the right of first negotiation to productions derived from the shorts, such as a feature-length expansion.
Complete details on Africa First – including application information – can be accessed year-round at www.focusfeatures.com/africafirst
Universal Networks International will support Focus Features’ unique Africa First initiative that brings African filmmakers to industry attention. Universal Channel in Africa will promote the initiative through an on-air campaign and on its website www.universalchannel.co.za
The Africa First short film programme, sponsored by Focus, annually awards five emerging African filmmakers $10,000 each towards pre-production, production, or post-production of their short film.
This year, the submissions period has already opened and runs through to August 22.
Universal Channel Africa, which is available on DStv Compact & DStv Premium, will air a selection of the short films completed through the program including Un transport en commun (Saint Louis Blues), directed by Dyana Gaye (from Senegal), which follows a journey from Dakar with seven taxi passengers telling of destinies and lives through song.
The uniquely conceived initiative, with funds earmarked exclusively for emerging filmmakers of African nationality and residence, is, for the fourth consecutive year offering eligible and participating filmmakers the chance to be awarded $10,000 in financing for pre-production, production, and/or post-production on their narrative short film made in continental Africa and tapping into the resources of the film industry there. The programme also brings the filmmakers together with each other and with a renowned group of advisors, major figures in the African film world, for support and mentorship.
The five filmmakers selected this year will be notified in late September 2011 and will retain the copyrights and the distribution rights to their completed shorts, with the exception of North American rights; Focus retains those, as well as the right of first negotiation to productions derived from the shorts, such as a feature-length expansion.
Complete details on Africa First – including application information – can be accessed year-round at www.focusfeatures.com/africafirst
MONKIPUNK TO MOZART AT NAF
“Shuffling” through the Main Music play list of the National Arts Festival, from June 30 to July 10, festival-goers will find everything from “monkipunk” to seriously classical, with an eclectic mix of tunes in-between.
2011 is an important year for classical music with the celebration of the bicentenary of the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt’s birthday in 1811, and it is also the year for remembering Australian pianist and composer, Percy Grainger, who died 50 years ago. 2011 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner Ben Schoeman performs a variety of Liszt and Grainger’s compositions in his Festival concerts. Schoeman is regarded as one of South Africa’s foremost pianists. He has won the coveted gold medal in the Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition in London (2009) and the first grand prize in the UNISA Vodacom International Piano Competition (2008). His solo album with piano music of Franz Liszt was released under the TwoPianists label in April this year, sponsored by Standard Bank.
Schoeman will also perform with The KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra (KZNPO) conducted by Richard Cock, in The Gala Concert, with Magdalene Minnaar (soprano). Over the past number of years at the Gala Concert, the NAF has celebrated the anniversaries of many composers and 2011 is no exception. Franz Liszt, the great Hungarian composer and one of the finest “pop stars” of the classical music world, born 200 years ago, is remembered through two of his best know compositions. Ambroise Thomas, also born in 1811, is featured in the overture and two arias which demonstrate his brilliant operatic skills and which provides the chance to hear again these forgotten and often ignored masterpieces. Percy Grainger, the eccentric Australian composer, is featured in one of Schoeman’s solo recitals, and some of those same pieces will be heard again as orchestral versions. The remainder of the programme, which will be introduced by Richard Cock, is made up of fascinating and charming works by a wide range of composers.
Lloyd Webber & Friends sees acclaimed soloists Veramarie Meyer and Nicholas Nicolaidis perform with members of the KZNPO, conducted by Richard Cock. They will sing favourites like Love Changes Everything, Music of the Night, All I Ask of You and Memory, as well as various other classical and contemporary hits.
The KZNPO will also perform a Symphony Concert conducted by Tibor Bogányi, with soloist Jérôme Pernoo. The programme includes Jacques Offenbach’s Concerto for cello in G Major and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major Op. 73.
Capetonian songstress Auriol Hays performs a repertoire that is a collection of mature, classy, alternative pop fused with some jazzy soul wedged between some darker powerful ballads. Her concert at the Festival will feature the hit tracks Take it Slow and Turn up the Volume, both of which have received massive commercial radio success.
Zanta Hofmeyr (violin) and Charl du Plessis (piano) are bringing Beethoven Tango to the Festival, after sell-out performances at most of the other major festivals in the country. Their popular programme includes Kreutzer Sonata for piano and violin by Ludwig van Beethoven, Tango to Go by Astor Piazzolla, Jazz favourites, and a Sting Suite for Violin and Piano.
Hofmeyr is also performing with Morkel Combrink (viola) and Wessel Beukes (cello) in The Goldberg Trio. They will perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Divertimento in E flat, K. 563, among the greatest works ever penned in the realm of chamber music.
The French Institute of South Africa and the Embassy of France South Africa present a double bill The Lectures of Professor Glaçon and Telegrams from the Nose, featuring François Sarhan. Sarhan will lead the way into the creative world of the eccentric Professor Henri-Jacques Glaçon, a wacky and absurd universe filled with stories, videos, collages and musical works.
Somewhere between a musical, video and installation, Telegrams from the Nose is a collaboration between South African artist William Kentridge and French composer François Sarhan, created in 2008. It is a mixture of Russian futurism, poems by Daniil Harms and records of Stalinist trials. The graphical material comes from preparatory studies for the production of Le Nez, by Shostakovich, which Kentridge was preparing for the Metropolitan Opera (2010). The backdrop is a large canvas painted by Kentridge to resemble a collage of newspapers depicting the progress of science.
The Italian Institute of Culture presents the Luca Ciarla Quartet, with Luca Ciarla (violin), Vincent Abbracciante (accordion), Nicola Di Camillo (double bass) and Francesco Savorette (percussion). They have wowed audiences and critics worldwide with their highly original tunes and arrangements, in which classical, contemporary jazz and ethnic music blend together, creating an irresistible Mediterranean jazz sound. They will perform Music by L. Ciarla, D. Gillespie, J.S. Bach, T. Monk, as well as traditional songs.
Samson Diamond (violin), Allan Thompson (clarinet), Anna Wilshire Jones (piano) and Wessel Beukes (cello) will perform the powerful Quartet for the End of Time (Quatuor pour la fin du temps), composed by Olivier Messiaen. In his preface to the score of Quatuor pour la fin du temps, Messiaen cites several verses from chapter 10 of the book of the Revelation of John as the “subject” of the work and its direct inspiration. “I saw a mighty angel descending from heaven, clothed in a cloud, having a rainbow on his head. His face was as the sun, his feet as columns of fire. He placed his right foot on the sea, his left foot on the earth, and, supporting himself on the sea and on the earth, he raised his hand towards Heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, saying: There will be no more Time; but on the day of the trumpet of the seventh angel, the mystery of God will be completed." (Revelation 10:1-2, 5-7; Oxford Annot). The visionary language of the Apocalypse (Greek apokalyptein, “to uncover”) is evoked in the movement titles of Quatuor pour la fin du temps which is one of the most remarkable works to have come out of World War II, composed by a musician whose religious faith was a constant inspiration, even in the most arduous circumstances.
The Diamond Ensemble will perform Franz Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major and Souvenir de Florence, Tchaikovsky's last work for a chamber ensemble. With Samson Diamond and Kabelo Motlhomi on violins, Elbe Roberts and Kate Moore on violas, and Maciej Lacny and Kutlwano Masote on violoncellos.
The Westhuizen Duo presents a duo-piano recital, which includes the staple of the duo-piano repertoire: Rachmaninoff’s monumental Suite No. 2, Op. 17 for Two Pianos. Composed in 1901 in Italy, this work, along with the 2nd Piano Concerto, signalled a return of Rachmaninoff’s creative powers and is every bit as stunning, spectacular, and thrilling as his piano concertos. It Takes Two to Tango by South African composer Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph, written for the Westhuizen Duo, will have its world première at the 2011 National Arts Festival.
Boo! was born in 1997 in the backstreets of Brixton, and became not only one of South Africa’s favourite bands, but also one of the country’s proudest musical exports to Europe and North America. Brandishing their self-styled genre of “monkipunk”, Boo! performed at various European and American festivals with the likes of the White Stripes, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Franz Ferdinand, Smashing Pumpkins, Cypress Hill and Coldplay, amongst others. After almost a decade of international success, Ampie Omo and Leon Retief announced their resignation from Boo! in September 2004. Retief continued his career behind the scenes in South African music, and Omo continued his career as a member of ska-outfit Fuzigish. Chris Chameleon surprised his punk pundits by becoming one of the most acclaimed artists in the Afrikaans music landscape, notching up a total of 20 national awards in five years. 2010 saw Boo! emerge again with a change in wardrobe and drummers, with Riaan van Rensburg picking up the sticks. The band set up camp in Amsterdam to record a new album The Three of Us. This is their first National Arts Festival main performance, and Chris Chameleon will also perform solo on the Fringe.
Bookings for this year’s “11 Days of Amaz!ng” is open through Computicket. Booking kits available from selected Standard Bank Branches, selected Exclusive Books and all Computickets. For more information on the programme, click on the banner advert at the top of this page.
The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Sunday Independent and M Net.
2011 is an important year for classical music with the celebration of the bicentenary of the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt’s birthday in 1811, and it is also the year for remembering Australian pianist and composer, Percy Grainger, who died 50 years ago. 2011 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner Ben Schoeman performs a variety of Liszt and Grainger’s compositions in his Festival concerts. Schoeman is regarded as one of South Africa’s foremost pianists. He has won the coveted gold medal in the Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition in London (2009) and the first grand prize in the UNISA Vodacom International Piano Competition (2008). His solo album with piano music of Franz Liszt was released under the TwoPianists label in April this year, sponsored by Standard Bank.
Schoeman will also perform with The KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra (KZNPO) conducted by Richard Cock, in The Gala Concert, with Magdalene Minnaar (soprano). Over the past number of years at the Gala Concert, the NAF has celebrated the anniversaries of many composers and 2011 is no exception. Franz Liszt, the great Hungarian composer and one of the finest “pop stars” of the classical music world, born 200 years ago, is remembered through two of his best know compositions. Ambroise Thomas, also born in 1811, is featured in the overture and two arias which demonstrate his brilliant operatic skills and which provides the chance to hear again these forgotten and often ignored masterpieces. Percy Grainger, the eccentric Australian composer, is featured in one of Schoeman’s solo recitals, and some of those same pieces will be heard again as orchestral versions. The remainder of the programme, which will be introduced by Richard Cock, is made up of fascinating and charming works by a wide range of composers.
Lloyd Webber & Friends sees acclaimed soloists Veramarie Meyer and Nicholas Nicolaidis perform with members of the KZNPO, conducted by Richard Cock. They will sing favourites like Love Changes Everything, Music of the Night, All I Ask of You and Memory, as well as various other classical and contemporary hits.
The KZNPO will also perform a Symphony Concert conducted by Tibor Bogányi, with soloist Jérôme Pernoo. The programme includes Jacques Offenbach’s Concerto for cello in G Major and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major Op. 73.
Capetonian songstress Auriol Hays performs a repertoire that is a collection of mature, classy, alternative pop fused with some jazzy soul wedged between some darker powerful ballads. Her concert at the Festival will feature the hit tracks Take it Slow and Turn up the Volume, both of which have received massive commercial radio success.
Zanta Hofmeyr (violin) and Charl du Plessis (piano) are bringing Beethoven Tango to the Festival, after sell-out performances at most of the other major festivals in the country. Their popular programme includes Kreutzer Sonata for piano and violin by Ludwig van Beethoven, Tango to Go by Astor Piazzolla, Jazz favourites, and a Sting Suite for Violin and Piano.
Hofmeyr is also performing with Morkel Combrink (viola) and Wessel Beukes (cello) in The Goldberg Trio. They will perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Divertimento in E flat, K. 563, among the greatest works ever penned in the realm of chamber music.
The French Institute of South Africa and the Embassy of France South Africa present a double bill The Lectures of Professor Glaçon and Telegrams from the Nose, featuring François Sarhan. Sarhan will lead the way into the creative world of the eccentric Professor Henri-Jacques Glaçon, a wacky and absurd universe filled with stories, videos, collages and musical works.
Somewhere between a musical, video and installation, Telegrams from the Nose is a collaboration between South African artist William Kentridge and French composer François Sarhan, created in 2008. It is a mixture of Russian futurism, poems by Daniil Harms and records of Stalinist trials. The graphical material comes from preparatory studies for the production of Le Nez, by Shostakovich, which Kentridge was preparing for the Metropolitan Opera (2010). The backdrop is a large canvas painted by Kentridge to resemble a collage of newspapers depicting the progress of science.
The Italian Institute of Culture presents the Luca Ciarla Quartet, with Luca Ciarla (violin), Vincent Abbracciante (accordion), Nicola Di Camillo (double bass) and Francesco Savorette (percussion). They have wowed audiences and critics worldwide with their highly original tunes and arrangements, in which classical, contemporary jazz and ethnic music blend together, creating an irresistible Mediterranean jazz sound. They will perform Music by L. Ciarla, D. Gillespie, J.S. Bach, T. Monk, as well as traditional songs.
Samson Diamond (violin), Allan Thompson (clarinet), Anna Wilshire Jones (piano) and Wessel Beukes (cello) will perform the powerful Quartet for the End of Time (Quatuor pour la fin du temps), composed by Olivier Messiaen. In his preface to the score of Quatuor pour la fin du temps, Messiaen cites several verses from chapter 10 of the book of the Revelation of John as the “subject” of the work and its direct inspiration. “I saw a mighty angel descending from heaven, clothed in a cloud, having a rainbow on his head. His face was as the sun, his feet as columns of fire. He placed his right foot on the sea, his left foot on the earth, and, supporting himself on the sea and on the earth, he raised his hand towards Heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, saying: There will be no more Time; but on the day of the trumpet of the seventh angel, the mystery of God will be completed." (Revelation 10:1-2, 5-7; Oxford Annot). The visionary language of the Apocalypse (Greek apokalyptein, “to uncover”) is evoked in the movement titles of Quatuor pour la fin du temps which is one of the most remarkable works to have come out of World War II, composed by a musician whose religious faith was a constant inspiration, even in the most arduous circumstances.
The Diamond Ensemble will perform Franz Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major and Souvenir de Florence, Tchaikovsky's last work for a chamber ensemble. With Samson Diamond and Kabelo Motlhomi on violins, Elbe Roberts and Kate Moore on violas, and Maciej Lacny and Kutlwano Masote on violoncellos.
The Westhuizen Duo presents a duo-piano recital, which includes the staple of the duo-piano repertoire: Rachmaninoff’s monumental Suite No. 2, Op. 17 for Two Pianos. Composed in 1901 in Italy, this work, along with the 2nd Piano Concerto, signalled a return of Rachmaninoff’s creative powers and is every bit as stunning, spectacular, and thrilling as his piano concertos. It Takes Two to Tango by South African composer Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph, written for the Westhuizen Duo, will have its world première at the 2011 National Arts Festival.
Boo! was born in 1997 in the backstreets of Brixton, and became not only one of South Africa’s favourite bands, but also one of the country’s proudest musical exports to Europe and North America. Brandishing their self-styled genre of “monkipunk”, Boo! performed at various European and American festivals with the likes of the White Stripes, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Franz Ferdinand, Smashing Pumpkins, Cypress Hill and Coldplay, amongst others. After almost a decade of international success, Ampie Omo and Leon Retief announced their resignation from Boo! in September 2004. Retief continued his career behind the scenes in South African music, and Omo continued his career as a member of ska-outfit Fuzigish. Chris Chameleon surprised his punk pundits by becoming one of the most acclaimed artists in the Afrikaans music landscape, notching up a total of 20 national awards in five years. 2010 saw Boo! emerge again with a change in wardrobe and drummers, with Riaan van Rensburg picking up the sticks. The band set up camp in Amsterdam to record a new album The Three of Us. This is their first National Arts Festival main performance, and Chris Chameleon will also perform solo on the Fringe.
Bookings for this year’s “11 Days of Amaz!ng” is open through Computicket. Booking kits available from selected Standard Bank Branches, selected Exclusive Books and all Computickets. For more information on the programme, click on the banner advert at the top of this page.
The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Sunday Independent and M Net.
NAF TRIGONOMETRY
The Trigonometry of Festival programming: by Ismail Mahomed, National Arts Festival Director
I often get asked how a former math teacher programmes a festival. Are there any mathematical clues to the National Arts Festival programme? Without having to actively work on any kind of formula, I surprisingly discovered the following method to my madness.
Take the duration of the Festival, divide it into 3 blocks and you get: A Standard Bank Young Artist performer in each block; 3 war plays: Somewhere on the Border, Sadako, Iris Brunette, in each block. 3 plays set in a school: Shakespeare's R &J, Death of a Colonialist, The History Boys; 3 productions that feature differently-abled artists: Lovaffair, Isingqala and Amafongkong, Benchmarks, and 3 productions that deal with displaced relationships: Night, Mother, Abnormal Load and The Table.
DOES THAT FORMULA WORK IN DANCE? 3 dance productions that deal with land and people: Batsumi, Rajasthani dance and Desert Crossings; 3 productions that make use of aerial work: Fura, Madam Silk and Lovaffair; 3 styles of dance: Ballet (Swan Lake), contemporary modern (Rajastani Dance) and indigenous dance (East Cape Showcase).
CAN THE PUBLIC ART FIT INTO A TRIANGLE? 3 parts to the Public art programme: Street Theatre, Art Installation & Public interactive programmes; 3 street theatre events: A Fairies Tale, Tshini Kwedini and Machitun.
3 ART INSTALLATIONS: Bottle Top Mosaic, PPC Young Sculpture programme, Co/Mix graffiti wall.
DOES THE NUMBER 3 FIGURE IN THE HANDS ON! MASKS OFF! PROGRAMME? This year the Hands On! Masks Off! programme has two new babies making it a family of 3: Workshops at Eden Grove, Art Lounge in Somerset Street and Sustainability Hub at Rhodes University.
WHAT ABOUT LEGACY PROJECTS? Also 3: South African Post Office producing an official postage stamp to celebrate African musical instruments. A project with PPC to install a permanent public art work in Grahamstown. A partnership with the Cultural Help Desk to kickstart a business project for one young arts entrepreneur.
And then of course the programme structure is divided into 3: Yes, the Main, Arena and Fringe.
Does the figure 3 feature in the number of years of serving as Festival Director? I took over from Lynette Marais in January 2009 so this is my third year as Festival Director.
Why the number 3? Because ART is a 3 lettered word.
So if this year's programme is based on trigonometry, what was last year's programme based on? Geometry! Because it was the World Cup, we kicked the arts ball around from one corner to next. So what's in store for next year? Algebra ... that means we will be adding on, multiplying and growing to the power of x. All that added together equals more AMAZ!NG!
Bookings for this year’s “11 Days of Amaz!ng” are open and tickets are available through Computicket. Booking kits available from selected Standard Bank Branches, selected Exclusive Books and all Computickets. For more information on the programme, accommodation and travel options visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za or click on the banner advert above. Also join the NAF on Facebook for all the latest competitions and news, or follow the festival on Twitter.
The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Sunday Independent and M Net.
I often get asked how a former math teacher programmes a festival. Are there any mathematical clues to the National Arts Festival programme? Without having to actively work on any kind of formula, I surprisingly discovered the following method to my madness.
Take the duration of the Festival, divide it into 3 blocks and you get: A Standard Bank Young Artist performer in each block; 3 war plays: Somewhere on the Border, Sadako, Iris Brunette, in each block. 3 plays set in a school: Shakespeare's R &J, Death of a Colonialist, The History Boys; 3 productions that feature differently-abled artists: Lovaffair, Isingqala and Amafongkong, Benchmarks, and 3 productions that deal with displaced relationships: Night, Mother, Abnormal Load and The Table.
DOES THAT FORMULA WORK IN DANCE? 3 dance productions that deal with land and people: Batsumi, Rajasthani dance and Desert Crossings; 3 productions that make use of aerial work: Fura, Madam Silk and Lovaffair; 3 styles of dance: Ballet (Swan Lake), contemporary modern (Rajastani Dance) and indigenous dance (East Cape Showcase).
CAN THE PUBLIC ART FIT INTO A TRIANGLE? 3 parts to the Public art programme: Street Theatre, Art Installation & Public interactive programmes; 3 street theatre events: A Fairies Tale, Tshini Kwedini and Machitun.
3 ART INSTALLATIONS: Bottle Top Mosaic, PPC Young Sculpture programme, Co/Mix graffiti wall.
DOES THE NUMBER 3 FIGURE IN THE HANDS ON! MASKS OFF! PROGRAMME? This year the Hands On! Masks Off! programme has two new babies making it a family of 3: Workshops at Eden Grove, Art Lounge in Somerset Street and Sustainability Hub at Rhodes University.
WHAT ABOUT LEGACY PROJECTS? Also 3: South African Post Office producing an official postage stamp to celebrate African musical instruments. A project with PPC to install a permanent public art work in Grahamstown. A partnership with the Cultural Help Desk to kickstart a business project for one young arts entrepreneur.
And then of course the programme structure is divided into 3: Yes, the Main, Arena and Fringe.
Does the figure 3 feature in the number of years of serving as Festival Director? I took over from Lynette Marais in January 2009 so this is my third year as Festival Director.
Why the number 3? Because ART is a 3 lettered word.
So if this year's programme is based on trigonometry, what was last year's programme based on? Geometry! Because it was the World Cup, we kicked the arts ball around from one corner to next. So what's in store for next year? Algebra ... that means we will be adding on, multiplying and growing to the power of x. All that added together equals more AMAZ!NG!
Bookings for this year’s “11 Days of Amaz!ng” are open and tickets are available through Computicket. Booking kits available from selected Standard Bank Branches, selected Exclusive Books and all Computickets. For more information on the programme, accommodation and travel options visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za or click on the banner advert above. Also join the NAF on Facebook for all the latest competitions and news, or follow the festival on Twitter.
The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Sunday Independent and M Net.
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