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Symphony Concert
2018-09-22

FSSO’s 4th Symphony Concert presented in collaboration with the OSM:

International guest pianist and FSSO virtuosi promise an evening of musical poetics

Conductor: Alexander Fokkens
Soloists: Vitaly Pisarenko (piano),
Odeion String Quartet,
Paul van Zuilenburg (trumpet),
Kobus Malan (oboe),
Danrè Strydom (clarinet),
Brahm Henkins (bassoon) and
Shannon Armer (French horn)
Date: Saturday, 22 September 2018
Time: 19:30
Venue: Odeion, UFS

On Saturday 22 September 2018, the Free State Symphony Orchestra’s (FSSO’s) fourth symphony concert of the year brings to the stage international piano virtuoso, Vitaly Pisarenko, and places a spotlight on the local talent of the Odeion String Quartet as well as a number of the FSSO’s principal players.

Regarded as one of the finest young musicians of his generation, Pisarenko has been dubbed as a ‘poet at the piano’ and is performing as guest piano soloist with the FSSO as part of the South African leg of his current world tour. After performing in a series of recitals and concerts with local orchestras, he moves on to the UK, Belgium, Hong Kong and Argentina. The concert in Bloemfontein will be his second last performance in South Africa.

Described by the New York Times as an “immensely gifted pianist… with prodigious technique, myriad shadings and scrupulous accuracy”, the Russian-born pianist already had his first public recital at the age of six. After winning the 8th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition in 2008, he took his place in the musical world as a pianist “of unusually soft touch and captivating expressiveness”, rapidly gaining worldwide recognition. His style has prompted more than one critic to compare his playing to that of “a young Franz Liszt”.

This evocative pianist will perform Shostakovich’s Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings, Opus 31 with the FSSO’s Paul van Zuilenburg as the trumpet soloist. Shostakovich originally composed the concerto as an experimentation with a neo-baroque combination of instruments. Despite the title, the work might more accurately be classified as a double concerto rather than a piano concerto in which the trumpet and piano command equal prominence. The trumpet parts frequently take the form of sardonic interjections, leavening the humour and wit of the piano passage work.

The Odeion String Quartet with Samson Diamond (violin), Sharon de Kock (violin), Jeanne-Louise Moolman (viola) and Anmari van der Westhuizen (cello) are the soloists in Elgar’s masterpiece, Introduction and Allegro for String Quartet and Strings. Scored for a string quartet and string orchestra, Elgar originally composed it to show off the players’ virtuosity. The score soon came to be recognised as a masterpiece and is likened to a multi-layered symphonic poem for string orchestra.

The programme concludes with Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds in E-flat major which is scored for solo oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon. The soloists for the Sinfonia Concertante will be four principal players of the FSSO: Kobus Malan (oboe), Danré Strydom (clarinet), Brahm Henkins (bassoon) and Shannon Armer (French horn).

When asked how he felt about joining the FSSO for this concert, Pisarenko responded by saying that this performance would represent a number of firsts for him: “Although this is my third visit to South Africa, it will be the first time that I perform in Bloemfontein. I’ve also always loved Shostakovich’s piano concerto and have wanted to play it for a long time. It is such a beautiful and expressive concerto, and I’ll be playing this fantastic piece for the very first time with the FSSO.”

Alexander Fokkens, CEO and Creative Director of the FSSO, concludes: “It’s very exciting to be able to showcase our immensely talented local orchestral musicians alongside a musician of Vitaly’s calibre. The programme for the evening will not only show off individual talent, but create an orchestral experience that will feel musically varied and poetically moving.”

Fokkens will also be conducting the concert on the evening. The FSSO’s fourth symphony concert for this year is presented in collaboration with the Odeion School of Music.


Admission:

Ticket prices are as follows:
Adults - R150; Pensioners and block bookings of 10 and more - R100; Children 3 to 18 years - R50.

Tickets are available at any Computicket outlet or online at online.computicket.com. For enquiries, contact Ella Kotze at the FSSO on 051 401 2342, Ninette Pretorius of the OSM on 051 401 2504, or visit the FSSO’s Facebook page (@ Free State Symphony Orchestra) for more information and regular updates.

For media enquiries and visuals, contact Daphney Teffo on 082 506 3551 or e-mail rdteffo@gmail.com


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Zoë Beyers (violin) & Francois du Toit (piano

Zoë Beyers (violin) & Francois du Toit (piano)
17 February 2011
Odeion
19:30

Zoë Beyers was born in South Africa in 1982. Since her debut (aged eleven) with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra under Paavo Järvi, she has performed with many distinguished conductors in the UK and Europe. Since coming to study in London in 2001, she has been in demand as soloist and chamber musician in Europe and South Africa. She is gold medalist of the 2005 UNISA Vodacom National String Competition. Zoë was awarded an Associated Board International Scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music, where she was a pupil of dr Felix Andrievsky, Gabrielle Lester and Gordan Nikolitch. 

Zoë has given recitals at the Linbury Theatre, the Pitville Pump Room (Cheltenham), Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room. She has performed at the St John's Smith Square, and with the Hebrides Ensemble, the Fibonacci Sequence, the Endymion Ensemble and the Solaris Quartet. She has also performed at the Cheltenham Festival, the City of London Festival, the BBC Proms, St Magnus Festival and Mendelssohn on Mull.

Acknowledged as one of South Africa's leading concert pianists and musicians, François du Toit is an associate professor of piano at the University of Cape Town. He is constantly in demand as accompanist for visiting artists from overseas. He completed his Honours degree at the University of Cape Town, studying under the distinguished pianist and teacher, Laura Searle. He also received the Solistendiplom from the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover (Germany) where he studied under the renowned pedagogue, Berndt Goetzke.

During his period of study abroad he distinguished himself in several important international piano competitions, taking top prizes in the 1991 Hannover Music Competition, the 1992 Rotterdam and 1993 Marsala Internationals, and the 1994 International Maria Callas Competition (Athens).

François has been appearing as an acclaimed soloist with orchestras (both locally and abroad) since the age of fifteen. He has over 30 concertos in his repertoire, ranging from Bach to Hendrik Hofmeyr and has performed with conductors including Bernhard Gueller, Victor Yampolsky, Omri Hadari, Alun Francis, Dawid de Villiers and Alexander Lazarev.

This performance forms part of Zoë’s nationwide tour and coincides with the launch of her debut CD. On this CD Zoë performs works by Mendelssohn with the Stellenbosch Camerata and pianist, Luis Magalhaes. This CD by the Stellenbosch production company TwoPianists Records, is distributed by Naxos to 56 countries and will be available to the public after this concert at the special price of R150.

Programme:

Bartók – Romanian Folkdances

Beethoven – Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 96

Debussy – Sonata for violin and piano in G minor

Prokofiev – Cinq Mélodies, Op. 35b

De Sarasate – Concert Fantasy on Carmen, Op. 25 Ia

Admission:
R120 (adults)

R80 (pensioners, students and learners)

Tickets available at Computicket (at all Shoprite / Checkers shops, Mimosa Mall information desk and the Waterfront Mall) and at the doors.

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

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