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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
Maarten Koningsberger (baritone) & Albie van Schalkwyk (piano)

In Winterreise (Winter Journey) - Song cycle by Franz Schubert

Thursday 21 August 2014

Odeion

19:30

 

Maarten has established a successful European career in opera and song recitals in a wide repertoire ranging from Monteverdi to Maderna.  He studied music in Amsterdam.  His teachers have been Max von Egmond, Udo Reinemann and Margreet Honig.  After graduation, he joined the School of Lyric Art of the Opéra de Paris.  This gave him the opportunity to sing in several opera productions in France and Italy.  His recital repertoire is similarly broad and includes mastery of standard and period performance styles.  As a solo recitalist, he is often accompanied by major artists such as Irwin Gage and Graham Johnson and has recorded CD programs of songs by Schubert, Schumann and Milhaud and solo cantatas by Campra and Blankenburg.

 

Critics assess his voice as well suited to the intimacy of the song form with a compelling quality even in quiet passages.  His voice is characterized as lyrical, warm and deep, yet with the authentic baritone rather than bass quality.  Koningsberger has broadcast on several European radio companies and teaches at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam and the Baroque Music Center in Versailles (France).  He records for the Hyperion label and has participated in the company's epochal traversal of the entire song literature of Franz Schubert.

 

Albie van Schalkwyk has established himself as performer in a number of fields over the past 30 years.  One of the leading chamber musicians and vocal accompanists in South Africa, he has also performed as soloist with SA orchestras, performed solo recitals, given masterclasses for singers and accompanists, worked as a music producer for the SABC and arranged music for various combinations.

 

After completing his BMus degree at the University of Cape Town with Lamar Crowson, he studied in London under Geoffrey Parsons, Gwenneth Pryor and Martino Tirimo. During this period he won the UNISA Overseas Scholarship as well as first prize in the SABC Music Prize Piano Competition.  Back in SA he took up a position as official accompanist and producer at the SABC. He has been a member of several well-known SA ensembles.  His partnership with Austrian cellist Heidi Litschauer has produced two major tours through South Africa and annual visits to Austria.  He has also performed all over South Africa with visiting international artists such as Elly Ameling (soprano), Maarten Koningsberger (baritone), Peter-Lukas Graf (flute), Emma Johnson (clarinet), Christian Altenburger (violin) and Raphael Wallfisch (cello).  His interest in vocal music and the art song in particular has led to many fulfilling concert partnerships with singers, culminating in the formation in 1994 of The Songmakers' Guild.

 

Programme: Franz Schubert – Winterreise (Winter Journey)

 

Admission:

R100 (adults)

R80 (pensioners)

R60 (UFS staff)

R40 (students and learners)

R40 (group bookings of 10+)

Tickets available at Computicket.

 

Enquiries:       

Ninette Pretorius (tel. 051 – 401 2504)

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