Durban City Hall: 24 Aug – 14 Sept
Concert One: Thursday 24 August
The KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra returns to the Durban City Hall for its four-week Early Spring Symphony Season of sublime world class music from 24 August to 14 September.
Special features of the season include visits by glorious violinist Kyoko Takezawa, South African pianist and Steinway Artist Ben Schoeman, Fidelio Trio from Ireland and the National Youth Concerto Festival which will showcase some talented young South African musicians.
The KZN Phil continues its primary mission of bringing excellence in music making to the province of KZN. The Early Spring Season features top South African and international musicians in an eclectic programme of amazing music. “We are committed to bringing the highest quality symphony concerts to Durban thereby enriching the city and province through music,” says Bongani Tembe CEO and Artistic Director of the KZN Philharmonic.
The season opens on Thursday 24 August at the Durban City Hall under the baton of German maestro Wolfram Christ who makes a welcome return to our podium with a programme showcasing three of the symphonic repertoire’s best loved composers: Mendelssohn; Tchaikovsky and Dvořák. The featured piece of the evening is one of the most technically exacting works in the violin repertoire, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 performed by Japanese born Kyoko Takezawa. Also on the programme is Mendelssohn’s brilliant Ruy Blas, Op. 95: Overture and the concert ends with a perennial crowd-pleaser – Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6 in D major, Op. 60
The second concert on Thursday 31 August sees Wolfram Christ offer the audience a rare encounter with Carl Maria von Weber’s Turandot Overture. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor is considered one of the most revolutionary of his entire oeuvre. It will be performed by South African pianist and Steinway Artist, Ben Schoeman. The evening closes with Schumann Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 97, “Rhenische”.
The third concert on the 7 September is an all-Beethoven programme and will be conducted by Associate Guest Conductor Daniel Boico. The KZN Philharmonic are delighted to perform with Fidelio Trio, who are on an extensive nation-wide tour courtesy of Culture Ireland. Fidelio Trio are Darragh Morgan, violin, Mary Dullea, piano, both of whom are no strangers to the KZN Philharmonic, and Adi Tal, cello. They have been shortlisted for the 2016 Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards, and Fidelio Trio are enthusiastic champions of the piano trio genre, performing the widest possible range of repertoire on concert stages across the world. They will perform Beethoven’s Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano in C major, Op. 56. Also on the programme is Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
While in Durban, Fidelio Trio will perform a different programme with the Friends of Music on Tuesday 5 September at the Durban Jewish Centre. While in Durban, Fidelio Trio will perform a different programme with the Friends of Music on Tuesday 5 September at the Durban Jewish Centre: Beethoven: Piano Trio Opus 70 No 1 (‘Ghost’ Trio) Maurice Ravel: Trio in A Minor; and Bedrich Smetana: Piano Trio in G Minor, Opus 15
The Early Spring Season ends on a high note with the National Youth Concerto Festival on Thursday 14 September, which will be conducted by Resident Conductor Lykele Temmingh. Fostering upcoming new talent on our musical landscape has always been a central part of the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra’s mandate, and in this regard, the annual National Youth Concerto remains a fixture of the Orchestra’s Early Spring Season. Among the programme items will be: Vivaldi’s Concerto for 2 oboes in d minor: Mvts 1, 2 and 3; Mozart’s La Clemenza Di Tito, K.621: “S’altro che lagrime”; Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in d minor: Mvt 1; Hüe Fantasie; Stephenson Introduction and Allegro: Mvt 1; Verdi Macbeth: “Come Dal Ciel Precipita”; Arutiunian’s Trumpet Concerto in A flat: Mvt 1 and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in c minor, Op, 18: Mvt 3.
Refreshments and light snacks may be purchased in the foyer before the concert and during interval. Single tickets are available from www.computicket.com, 0861 915 8000, or from Shoprite Checkers Money Market counters. It is cheaper to subscribe: Subscribers can save up to 30%. For subscriptions contact 031 3699438.
The morning rehearsals for the early Spring Symphony Season concerts are open to the public and provide a glimpse into the preparation needed for a symphony concert. Join us each Symphony Season Thursday at 10am in the Durban City Hall. Entrance for adults is R30 / R10 for scholars, which includes a cup of tea or coffee during the interval. The final rehearsal is the perfect opportunity to introduce scholars to symphony concerts and also provides great outings for community groups and retirement homes. Please contact the KZN Philharmonic to enquire about special rates and to make arrangements for groups. Contact bookings@kznphil.org.za or call the bookings office on 031 369 9438.
You can gain a deeper understanding of the music you are about to hear by attending the Friends of Music’s Pre-Concert Lecture in the Alhambra Room at the Playhouse starting at 6pm each Thursday and entry is R10.
Listings:
THURSDAY, 24 AUGUST 2017, 7:30PM
DURBAN CITY HALL
Conductor: Wolfram Christ
Soloist: Kyoko Takezawa, violin
Mendelssohn Ruy Blas, Op. 95: Overture
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35
Dvořák Symphony No. 6 in D major, Op. 60
Pre-concert Lecture: Dr. Teddy Pillay
THURSDAY, 31 AUGUST 2017, 7:30PM
DURBAN CITY HALL
Conductor: Wolfram Christ
Soloist: Ben Schoeman, piano
Weber Turandot: Overture and March
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in d minor (K466)
Schumann Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 97, “Rhenische”
Pre-concert Lecture: Dr. Teddy Pillay
THURSDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2017, 7:30PM
DURBAN CITY HALL
Conductor: Daniel Boico
Soloists: Fidelio Trio: violin, cello and piano
Beethoven Coriolan Overture
Beethoven Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano in C major, Op. 56
Beethoven Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
Preconcert Lecture: Dr. Teddy Pillay
THURSDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2017, 7:30PM
DURBAN CITY HALL
NATIONAL YOUTH CONCERTO FESTIVAL
Conductor: Lykele Temmingh
Soloists: Various Young South African Performers
Vivaldi Concerto for 2 oboes in d minor: Mvts 1, 2 and 3
Mozart La Clemenza Di Tito, K.621: “S’altro che lagrime”
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in d minor: Mvt 1
Hüe Fantasie
Stephenson Introduction and Allegro: Mvt 1
Verdi Macbeth: “Come Dal Ciel Precipita”
Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto in A flat: Mvt 1
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in c minor, Op, 18: Mvt 3
Preconcert Lecture: Dr. Teddy Pillay
