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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
Mozart Gala Evening

Soloists:          Caroline Nkwe, Annemarie Steenkamp, Bongani Makhanya, Phenye Modiane, Christopher Vale and members of the BTE VO1SS Academy

Conductor:       Alexander Fokkens

Date:                Saturday 20 April 2013

Venue:             Odeion

Time:                19:30

After the success of the Verdi Gala Concert last year, the Free State Symphony Orchestra decided to join forces with the Black Tie Ensemble & Voice Opera One Stop Shop (BTE VO1SS) again to present a concert with excerpts from operas. This year the focus will be on music by Mozart. Five soloists of BTE Vo1ss - Caroline Nkwe (soprano), Annemarie Steenkamp (mezzo-soprano), Phenye Modiane (tenor), Kagiso Boroko (tenor) and Christopher Vale (baritone) - members of the BTE Vo1ss Academy and the local choir Voices will perform with the FSSO conducted by Alexander Fokkens.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's operas comprise 22 musical dramas in a variety of genres. They range from the small-scale, derivative works of his youth to the full-fledged operas of his maturity. Three of the works were abandoned before completion and were not performed until many years after the composer's death. His mature works are all considered classics and have never been out of the repertory of the world's opera houses.

The comic opera Le Nozze di Figaro (Marriage of Figaro) was composed when Mozart was 30 and is often regarded (with Cosi fan tutte) as one of the best examples of opera buffa. The following excerpts will be performed:

  • Cherubino’s aria “Non so piu cosa son, cosa faccio” will be sung by Annemarie Steenkamp;
  • The finale from the second act “Esci omai garzon malnato”;
  • Figaro’s exciting aria “Hai gia vinta la causa” will be sung by Christopher Vale;
  • The whole company will join in for the beautiful finale of the opera.

Although the opera Don Giovanni is sometimes classified as comic, it blends comedy, melodrama and supernatural elements and can be better described as dramma giocoso. One of the most beautiful duets that can be found in any opera, “La ci darem la mano” will be sung by Annemarie Steenkamp and Christopher Vale.

Cosi fan tutte was written when Mozart was 34. The virtuoso soprano aria, “Come scoglio” will be sung by Caroline Nkwe. Also included in the programme are two trios from the opera: “Soave sia il vento” for 2 sopranos and baritone and “La mia Dorabella capace non è” for tenor, baritone and bass.

A Singspiel is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera. Mozart wrote four Singspiele. Excerpts from 3 of these will be on the programme: the Overture of Der Schauspieldirektor (Impressario), the duet “Vivat Bacchus, Bacchus liebe” and the finale “Nie werd' ich deine” from Die Entführung aus dem Serail and the male chorus “O Isis und Osiris” from Die Zauberflöte. The latter will be performed by Vo1ss Academy and the local Voices choir.

Mozart has already started work on Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) when he was commissioned to write a new work to celebrate the coronation of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor as King of Bohemia. The result was La Clemenza di Tito which he completed within about a month. The Overture and the tenor aria “Ah Se fosse intorno al trono” are on the programme.

The evening will end with the Benedictus from the big Mass in c minor, K427.

Admission

R120 (adults)

R80 (pensioners)

R50 (students / scholars / groups of 10 and more)

Tickets are available from Computicket (Shoprite / Checkers, Mimosa Mall)

Book online at www.computicket.com

Enquiries:

Ella Kotze (FSSO), tel. (051) 401-2342

www.fsso.org.za

 

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