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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
Ching-Yun Hu (piano recital)

Ching-Yun Hu (piano recital)
8 March 2011
Odeion
19:30

“This young woman brings with her the secret, the mystery, and the style. She has the suspense of Brendal, Perahia’s lyricism and Barenboim’s depth. Are we witnessing the birth of a new Martha Argerich?”

Chanoch Ron, Yediot Acharonot, Israel.

In Ching-Yun’s home country (Taiwan) and abroad, she has been given a title – “Taiwan’s Proud”. Referred to as “dazzling”, Ching-Yun captured the top prize at the 2008 Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition. Her memorable performances of the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 and Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 in the finale of this competition were broadcast live to 38 countries worldwide.

At the age of 14, Ching-Yun moved to the US to study at The Juilliard School. At 16 she won the silver medal at the Taipei International Piano Competition after which she collaborated with several orchestras, including the Aspen Concert Orchestra, New York Sinfonietta, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and the World Festival Orchestra and appeared at major festivals in The Netherlands, Austria, the UK and the USA. As Taiwan’s major artist of her generation, she appeared with the Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra in a concert for 10 000 people as a memorial for the 921 Earthquake Anniversary. Concert appearances have also taken her to prestigious venues such as the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Salle Cortot, Osaka Hall and various other major concert halls around the world.

Her numerous other international competition accolades include several gold medals and first prizes: at the World Piano Competition (Cincinnati), Olga Koussevitzky International Piano Competition, Seiler International Piano Competition (New York) and the California International Piano Competition. Her performances have been aired by several international radio and television stations. The most recent addition to her long list of international awards is being awarded the First Prize in the 2009 Concert Artists Guild International Competition securing her a Carnegie Hall recital.

Programme:
Beethoven – Sonata in C major, Op. 35 (“Waldstein”)
Schumann – Fantasie, Op. 17
Schubert/Liszt – Song Transcriptions
Liszt – Concert Etude “La Leggierezza”
Liszt – Spanish Rhapsody

Admission:
R120 (adults)
R80 (pensioners, students and learners)
Tickets available at Computicket (at all Shoprite / Checkers shops, Mimosa Mall information desk, the Waterfront Mall) and at the doors.

Enquiries:
Ninette Pretorius (tel. 051 - 401 2504)
 

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