Nuusbrief nr. 4 2013 / News letter no. 4 2013

 Megan-Geoffrey Prins.

Dit was Donderdagaand 25 April 2013 duidelik vir al die ernstige musiekliefhebbers wat teenwoordig was met die uitvoering van hierdie nederige jong man, dat ons met ‘n besonderse talent te doene het. Die fyn aanslag en tegniese vaardigheid wat hy tentoon gestel het met sy uitvoering van die tegnies uiters moeilike stukke, was verstommend, en dit alles sonder ‘n noot musiek voor hom!  

Sy program was goed gebalanseer met 4 groot werke: Hy het begin met JS Bach se Chromatiese Prelude en Fuga. Veral die fuga was besonder goed gefraseerd en die part-spel uitstekend handteer. Die uitstaande werk van die aand was die Etudes van Chopin, Opus 25. Na die pouse is L von Beethoven se Sonate Opus 111 gespeel. Dit is een van die komponis se minder bekende en dramatiese werke en 'n goeie kontras met die vorige items. Die finale werk was die van J Brahms: Variasies op 'n tema van Paganini, Opus 35, Boek 2. Hierdie werk is tegnies 'n groot uitdaging vir enige pianis. As toegif het hy 'n liefdeslied gespeel van 'n onbekende Tjeggiese komponis, Josef Sut. Strelende melodieë met verminderde sewendes het 'n bittersoet weerklank gevind. 

Weereens het ons 'n verrykende aand beleef. Ons vereniging en al die inwoners van ons mooi dorp wens hom alle sukses en sterkte toe!

Trio Concert for Violin, French Horn and Piano.

On Friday night 24 May 2013 at 19.30 we have a further treat in store; a chamber music concert featuring three Cape Town based artists, performing a program of trio works for violin, horn and piano. Although a rare combination, we can look forward to some delightful compositions to be performed by the three exceptionally talented musicians.

The Performers.

Francois Luc Arzul was born in Cape Town and matriculated there with distinctions in both piano and violin after which he graduated at the University of Stellenbosch with a Performers Licentiate (violin) in 1994. He then continued his studies at Wits (under Zanta Hofmeyer) and in just two years completed his B Mus with honors and immediately took up a position as first violinist in The National Symphony Orchestra until 2003 when he moved back to Cape Town.  Francois freelances for the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and the Con Spirito Philharmonic but also enjoys spending more time working with other musicians in a more intimate format such as the highly regarded Baroque group, Tinta Barocca. Since 2009 he has performed and recorded with Desert Rose on their “Silence of the Music” album.

Neil Smit studied the horn at the University of Cape Town where he graduated in 2006 with a B Mus Honors cum laude. Even before that, since 2002 he has been a regular extra player with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra where he has gained much of his orchestral experience. He has also worked with other major orchestras in South Africa, such as the Johannesburg Philharmonic, Johannesburg Festival Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa. Currently he is studying towards his M Mus degree at the University of Stellenbosch while also working as music educator, brass instructor and chamber musician. Neil is the founder of the Cape Town Horn Quartet, established in conjunction with his postgraduate studies, which aims to contribute to the horn repertoire by commissioning and performing new compositions by local composers. He is presently the secretary of the South African Horn Society.

Stefan Lombard was 16 years old when he made his solo debut as a pianist with the CAPAB orchestra playing the Khatchaturian Piano Concerto. He went on to study piano with Lamar Crowson and Laura Searle respectively.  He subsequently studied abroad at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, England. Besides a B.Mus degree in performing from the University of Cape Town, he holds cum laude diplomas from UNISA and Associated Royal Schools of Music in both Piano and Organ. After  graduating, and some experience in teaching, Stefan found his niche mainly in chamber music, but has performed with leading orchestras in South Africa both as soloist and orchestral instrumentalist. 

Stefan has also crossed over into musical theatre and has musically directed and conducted numerous contemporary productions, some of the most noteworthy being the production of CATS, which he performed in more than 13 countries worldwide, Phantom of the Opera, Chicago and Sondheim’s Assassins. 

Onthou altyd dat ons vereniging ‘n vereniging sonder winsbejag is wat uitsluitlik gestig is vir die doel om die gemeenskap te dien en bloot te stel aan goeie musiek. Ons maak geen wins nie maar ploeg alles net so terug in die blootstelling van die algemene publiek van Hessequa aan optredes van uitstaande kunstenaars in ons eie dorp. Kom ons werk saam om die doel te verwesentlik!