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2019 2018
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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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Quintessence In Concert

25 April 2019

Odeion

19:30

A unique combination of three international artists in collaboration with two exceptional South African artists!

This ensemble will perform an exciting programme of works by Bozza, Fokkens, Mykietyn, Francaix and Fibich.

Meet the artists:

David Bester (violin)
David Bester teaches violin at Nelson Mandela University (Port Elizabeth). As soloist, he has performed with the Stellenbosch Camerata, the KZNPO, GPO and the ECPO. After obtaining his BMus and MMus (both cum laude) in music performance from Stellenbosch University under Suzanne Martens, he furthered his studies in Belgium. David has received masterclasses from acclaimed violinists Pavel Vernikov, Ivry Gitlis, Barnabás Kelemen, Ilya Gringolts, Priya Mtichell, Daniel Rowland, and Jan Repko. He has also had the opportunity to work closely alongside musicians such as Pinchas Zukerman, Benjamin Schmid, Joshua Bell, and Leila Josefowicz. David won the string category of the ATKV Muziq competition. He has also been the recipient of the Mabel Quick Bursary (2014), Hans Endler Prize (2012-2014), SAMRO Bursary (2011 and 2013), Graham Beck Bursary (2010), and the Stellenbosch University Merit Bursary (2011-2015).

Piotr Thieu Quang (clarinet)
Piotr Thieu Quang started his clarinet education at the age of nine in Jerzy Czyran’s class. Since 2016 he has been studying with Prof Miroslaw Pokrzywinski (Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, Warsaw). He is a laureate of many clarinet and chamber competitions such as the 17th Academic Clarinet Competition in Wloszakowice (2018 – 2nd prize and three special awards), 8th West Pomeranian Clarinet Festival in Szczecin (2018 – 3rd prize), International Clarinet Competition in Warsaw (2016 – 1st prize: clarinet quartet category), 11th Clarinet Festival in Piotrków Trybunalski (2015 – 3rd prize in solo category, 1st prize in chamber ensembles category). He participated in several solo and chamber masterclasses conducted by Florent Héau, Jean Marc Fessard, Karel Dohnal, Karl Leister, Antonio Saiote, Jacob Shaw, Marcin Zdunik and Aleksander Debicz. He has performed in concert halls such as the Royal Castle (Warsaw), the Philharmonic Hall (Warsaw) and the Krzysztof Penderecki European Center for Music (Luslawice).

Dariusz Dinh Thieu Quang (French horn)
Dariusz is a Polish French horn player and student at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music (Warsaw). He has already performed with the Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa (Warsaw), the Poznan Philharmonic, Rzeszów Philharmonic, Pomeranian and Gdansk Philharmonic, as well as the Nospr and Czestochowska Philharmonic. He has performed in countries including Germany, Switzerland, Lithuania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Malta and Vietnam. He is a laureate of national and international competitions, including: 2nd prize at the 4th Polish Horns’ Competition Edwin Gonik, Lódz (Poland) 2015, 2nd prize (1st not awarded) at the 7th International Wind Instruments Competition, Wroclaw (Poland) 2013, 1st prize at the 5th Polish Competition of Brass Instruments Ludwika Lutak, Krakwo (Poland, 2013), Distinction at the 3rd National French Horns’ Competition Edwin Golnik, Lódz (Poland, 2012).

Anmari van der Westhuizen (cello)
Anmari van der Westhuizen graduated from the University of Stellenbosch (BMusHons), from the Mozarteum, Salzburg (Grosses Diplom), and from the Hochschule für Musik (Cologne) with Maria Kliegel (Konzertexamen). In 2013 Anmari received her PhD from the University of Pretoria. She has won prestigious competitions including the ATKV Forte Competition, the SABC Competition and the Oude Meester Competition. Anmari has performed in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Faroe Islands, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Joanna Wicherek (piano)
Joanna Wicherek studied piano, chamber music, historical keyboard and organ in Warsaw (Frederic Chopin Music University), Freiburg (Musikhochschule Freiburg) and Vienna (Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst). Her recordings include a CD with the Early Music on the soundtrack to the film, Violated Letters (2010). She has been awarded several prizes including the Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival, Grand Prix at the Competition of the 20th and 21st centuries for young performers (Warsaw) and the International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music (Krakow)

PROGRAMME

  • Eugène Bozza: En Fôret
  • Rob Fokkens: Mammals of Southern Africa
  • Pawel Mykietyn: Although Daedalus Reached…
  • Jean Francaix: Theme and Variations
  • Zdenek Fibich: Quintet Op. 42

ADMISSION

  • R150 (adults)
  • *R80 (pensioners)
  • *R80 (UFS staff)
  • *R60 (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)

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