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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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Recital by Australian organist, Martin Rein

Thursday, 25 April 2013
Odeion
19:30

Martin Rein began his career with extensive studies in Choral Conducting and Sacred Music at the Berlin School of Music with Prof. Martin Behrmann.  He completed his B.Mus. in 1996.

He then undertook further postgraduate studies at the Music Academy in Detmold and graduated in December 2000 with First Class Honours in Organ Performance, and in June 2001 with an M.Mus. degree, majoring in Choral and Orchestral Conducting.  In his graduation recital in December 2000, he performed amongst other works, the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue Op. 57 (Inferno) by Max Reger - one of the most challenging compositions within the organ repertoire. 

In Europe he studied organ and piano performance with Prof. Gerhard Weinberger (Munich-Wurzburg) and Dr Ewald Kooimann (Amsterdam) as well as organ improvisation with Prof. Renate Zimmermann (Berlin-Frankfurt-Heidelberg).  He also studied with Dame Gillian Weir in England.  Since then he held several positions at e.g. the Stiftskirche St John's (Germany), at St. Mary's Monastery (Lehnin, Germany) the Alte Kirche (Essen, Germany), conducted the Australian Chamber Singers, was Director of Music at St. John the Evangelist Notting Hill, resident College Organist and Educator at Bearwood College and the Royal Merchant Navy School (Berkshire), and in 2010 Martin accepted the post of Head of Performing Arts and Master of the Choristers at The King's School Sydney (Australia).

As an organist, Martin has performed in Australia, the USA and many European countries in venues such as Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral, both Cathedrals of Berlin (Germany), the Great Hall at Sydney University (Australia), King's College Boston, St Mark's Baltimore, Gloria Dei (Philadelphia) and Carthage College (USA). His recital at Sydney University was broadcasted by 2MBS-FM 'Colours of the King' in July 2005.  Recently he has given concerts in St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, the Cathedral of St John-the-Evangelist in Hong Kong, St. Andrew's Cathedral (Sydney) and the Cathedrals of Auckland and Dunedin (New Zealand).  His special interest in historic organs - many of which he has performed on - is compiled in his book on Baroque organ builders in Germany.

Programme:

  • J.S. Bach - Prelude and Fugue in G, BWV550
  • J.S. Bach - Chorales from the Third Part of the Clavierubung (1739)
  • M. Duruflé - Scherzo, Op. 2
  • M. Reger - Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue in E minor, Op. 127
  • M. Rein - Improvisation

Admission:

R130 (adults), R90 (pensioners), R50 (students and learners)
Tickets available at Computicket.

Enquiries:

Ninette Pretorius (tel. 051 401 2504)

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