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Stefan Velkov Guitar Recital
2018-04-19

19 April 2018

Odeion

19:30

Bulgarian-born Stefan Velkov was introduced to music since earliest childhood. His official training in music theory, piano and guitar started at the age of seven.

Stefan received his first music degree as a guitar and light music performer from the Bulgarian State Conservatoire (later renamed to Bulgarian Academy of Music). At this stage (the late seventies of the 20th century) the guitar in Bulgaria was still regarded mostly as a light-music instrument. That is why it was included as a study subject only within the Light Music Department of the Conservatoire. The interest and the knowledge of the classical guitar was still at its infancy, but its popularity was growing fast. This made it necessary for the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture to make a historic decision: for the first time in Bulgarian music history, a decision was made to send a young Bulgarian guitarist to Germany to receive a proper music degree in classical guitar and to return to Bulgaria and introduce classical guitar as a subject at the Bulgarian Academy of Music.

After competing with all the most talented guitarists of the country, Stefan won the competition which enabled him to receive a master's degree in classical guitar from the Berliner Hochschule fur Musik Hanns Eisler. He completed his studies in guitar, piano and composition with a special reward of the Hochshule as one of the five best students. During his studies he also won the competition for the best guitar composition.

During his studies abroad (1981 - 1988) Stefan met and had masterclasses with most of the best guitar professors and guitar maestros of our time: Maria-Livia Sao Marcos (Switzerland/ Brazil), Costas Cotsiolis (Greece), Dieter Kreidler (Germany) and Leo Brouwer (Cuba).

In 1986 he was appointed as the first classical guitar lecturer at the Bulgarian Academy of Music and chairperson of the guitar festivals and competitions. This was the time when his own active concert career began. Stefan's repertoire includes most of the great masterpieces ever written for this instrument, but he became more and more known for his own compositions for guitar which, according to critics, outshine the best known masterpieces created for classical guitar.

Stefan’s arrival in SA (1991), coincided with the search of the Free State Musicon for a qualified guitar lecturer in order to introduce the subject classical guitar as part of its music training programme. He was offered the position of senior guitar lecturer at the Musicon which he holds until present day. During this time he also taught at the University of the Free State (1992 - 1999).

Stefan has given concerts in Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, England and South Africa.

PROGRAMME

  • Velkov: Summer Dream
    From the golden heritage of the classical guitar:
    • Villa-Lobos: Prelude
  • Two Magnificent Arpeggios
    • Giuliani
    • Brower
  • Two Romantic Pieces:
    • Velkov: Serenade
    • Velkov: Adagio (The Magic Of Love)
  • Velkov: Bulgarian Suite for Guitar
    • I Bulgarian folk dance
    • II Bulgarian folk-singing
    • III Bulgarian folk dance in 7/8
    • IV Bulgarian folk-song
    • V Bulgarian folk dance in 9/8
  • Velkov: Tango
  • Velkov: Two Modern Dances
  • Velkov: The Wild Horse

ADMISSION

  • R120 (adults)
  • *R80 (pensioners)
  • *R70 (UFS staff)
  • *R50 (students, learners and block bookings of 10+)

Tickets available at Computicket or online at http://online.computicket.com/web/

*Please note that tickets for pensioners, students, learners and UFS staff can only be purchased at a Computicket outlet (Shoprite Checkers) or at the doors since a valid card or ID has to be presented to qualify for the above mentioned discount.

ENQUIRIES
Ninette Pretorius (tel. 051 401 2504)


Back
Alexander Ramm (cello) & Tinus Botha (piano)

17 May 2012
Odeion
19:30

Alexander Ramm was born in Vladivostok (Russia) in 1988. He studied at the Chopin Music School until 2003, entered the Chopin College and finished in 2007 in the class of Prof. M. Zhuravleva. At present he is a student at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory under the guidance of Prof. N. Shakhovskaya. He performs in many concerts in the best halls of Russia, such as the Rachmaninoff Hall, the Small and the Great Halls of the State Conservatory and abroad. Alexander is the winner of several international and national competitions. In 2010 he took part in festivals and master classes at the Courchevel Academy and Holland Music Sessions with famous professors Philippe Muller, Maria Kliegel, Reinhard Latzko and Uzi Wiezel. He took first prizes at the following international competitions: the Young Cellist Competition (Moscow, 2003), the Cambridge International String Competition (2005), the International Romantic Music Festival (Moscow, 2006) and the National Music Competition (Russia, 2010). He also took 4th prize at the 5th UNISA International String Competition (2010) and 2nd prize in the 3rd Beijing International Music Competition (2010).

Tinus Botha received his musical training at the University of Pretoria, Music Academy of the West (Santa Barbara) and Texas Christian University (Fort Worth). His teachers have included Joseph Stanford, Jerome Lowenthal, José Feghali and Harold Martina. Tinus has featured as soloist with a number of South African orchestras, including the Artium Orchestra, CAPAB, NAPOP, COSA and Pro Musica. As chamber musician he has collaborated with a number of South Africa's foremost artists, and is regularly invited to serve as official accompanist at UNISA’s international music competitions. In 2008 he received a D.Mus. (performing arts) degree from the University of Pretoria. Tinus will be the pianist during Alexander’s South African tour.

Programme:
Franck – Sonata for cello and piano
Kodaly – Finale from Sonata for solo cello
Hanmer – Elegy (A Jazzy Waltz and Simple Song)
Rachmaninoff – Sonata for cello and piano

Admission:
R120 (adults), R80 (pensioners, students and learners)
R50 (block booking of 10+)
Tickets available at Computicket.

Enquiries:
Ninette Pretorius (tel. 051 401 2504)

 

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