10 - 12 August 2012
Odeion School of Music

Internationally acclaimed South African composer, Stefans Grové, celebrates his 90th birthday this year. In honour of his long and distinguished career, the Odeion School of Music (University of the Free State), in collaboration with the Documentation Centre for Music (DOMUS) at the University of Stellenbosch, is proud to present a weekend-long festival in Bloemfontein from 10 to 12 August, which will include concerts of his music, a symposium of musicological reflection, as well as commentaries on his work by the composer himself.

The programme starts off on Friday 10 August with a talk given by Prof Grové (18:00) to introduce the evening’s concert. The concert at 19:30 will include Grové’s “Tweespalt” and “Sanguinies” from Piano Pieces (1975) Nonyana, the ceremonial dancer (1994), Afrika Beelde (1999) and Dance Song for the Nyau Dance (2003). Pianist Ben Schoeman is the soloist for this part of the programme. After the interval the set of Five Ingrid Jonker songs, Pan and the Nightingale and Sielvoël will be performed. The artists are Helen Vosloo (flute), Anmari van der Westhuizen (cello), Lesley-Ann Mathews (piano) and Matildie Thom Wium (mezzo soprano).

On Saturday 11 August the Documentation Centre for Music will present a symposium (9:00 – 13:00) on Grové’s music, including papers by such distinguished scholars as Gregory Barz (via video), Hannes Taljaard and Izak Grové, and a lecture demonstration by Ben Schoeman.
With the concert (19:30) Grové’s Afrika Hymnus II, the première of My Jaargetye (commissioned by the Odeion School of Music for Schoeman), Conversations for organ and piano as well as the première of Grové’s recently composed Piano Quintet – “A Venda Legend”. During this concert the FAK will present an award for exceptional cultural achievement to Stefans Grové and the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns will present a citation to the composer. This concert will be preceded by an interview with Grové conducted by Ben Schoeman on the subject of Grové’s piano music (18:00).

The concluding concert of the festival will take place on Sunday 12 August and will feature the ensemble work Musa, for flute (Helen Vosloo), viola (Jeanne-Louise Moolman), violoncello (Anmari van der Westhuizen), piano (Piet Moolman) and a narrator (Marli van der Bijl). Other works on Sunday afternoon’s programme include Grové’s Sonata for Viola and Piano and the Elegy for String Orchestra which will be performed by the OSM Camerata.

We sincerely thank the following OSM partners who have contributed to make these special events possible: DOMUS, Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, the FAK, ATKV & ATKV-Muziq and Xerox (UFS Campus).

ADMISSION:
R70 (adults), R50 (pensioners, students and learners)
Special Package: R120 for the three concerts (i.e. R40 per concert!)
Tickets available at Computicket

Admission to the seminar and pre-concert talks are free of charge.

ENQUIRIES:
Ninette Pretorius (tel. 051 401 2504)