The Gauteng Guitar Quartet: Breakfast around the Sun, 17 July 2026

Jonathan Moolman, Ryan Kirsten, Nathalie Roué, Dillon Davie

It is not everyday that Stilbaai is part of a world premiere! That is the kind of energy with which this outstanding group of musicians treated us!

As the title of the concert, "Breakfast around the Sun" suggests, the program featured a wide variety of music. 

Die program het met ‘n baie strelende lied ;“Cancion y Danza” begin, en dan ontplof in ‘n vrolike en ritmiese  dans. Hulle het al moontlikhede van die kitaar  ontgin en ook die kitaarkas as perkussie gebruik met groot en verrassende effekte!

The adventurous and captivating arrangements were mostly modern, yet humorous and accessible. "Fools rushing in" boasted intricate textures and techniques and was thoroughly enjoyable.

‘n Hoogtepunt beslis, was die verwerking van die geliefde Pachelbel Canon in “The loose Canon” , waar klassiek en modern met verstommende tegnieke inmekaar gevloei het! Hier het die ensemble hul aanvoelbare musikale kommunikasie en konneksie ten toon gestel en saam tot ‘n klimaks opgewerk . Die harmoniese onderbou van die Canon was smaakvol tussen die vlakke van die verskillende kitare verdeel.

Last on the program was the "Hamsa Suite", which flows through five movements, each telling a different "story". Various moods were successfully created here, and dynamic tonal colors were conjured up!  

Soos altyd het die puik gehoor van Stilbaai  hul kant gebring met luide applous! 

Petro Botha

 

Charl du Plessis Trio Bach & Beatles 8 Junie 2026

 

Peter, Charl en Werner

    

Die “koning van Jazz in Suid-Afrika” met sy Trio, het Stilbaai soos ‘n orkaan getref en alle verwagtinge oortref!

Hierdie Trio, Charl du Plessi, klavier,  Werner Spies op basviool en Peter Auret op die dromme is elkeen in eie reg ‘n wěreldklas musiekvirtuoos !

The ensemble playing came into its own in the arrangements and in the improvisations, where each artist had the opportunity to showcase their individual talents. The interaction and natural cohesiveness between the three was incredibly impressive.    

Die intelligente vermenging (mixing) van populěre styl, jazz en klassiek in die Goldberg variasies van Bach met “Let it be” was absuluut verstommend met wisselende dinamiese vlakke en groot emosie.

Verskeie ou gunstelinge is behoorlik “gegeur” met nuwe vlakke van klank en humor. In “a Hard days night”  is elke vlak van kleur en klank ontgin en gedryf tot ‘n ongelooflike “kunswerk”! Die dromsolo in “Take 5” het die luisteraars behoorlik laat snak na hulle asem.

A very creative mix of  "Amazing Grace"  with "When the Saints go marching in"  showed that this musical trio can push boundaries when it comes to improvisation on the stage.    

Om die bekende Toccata van JS Bach met 3 treffers van die Beatles op te klits in “Eleanor Rigby” het gesorg vir musikale drama op sy beste!  ‘n Baie slim herhalende motief in die basviool, het die spanning laat opbou en die verwerking geneem  tot ‘n hoogtepunt!

And in between, the entire performance was woven together by Charl through humorous anecdotes and interesting information about each piece. He is truly a amazing stage artist

Ons hoop om weer hierdie musikante in Stilbaai te hoor na ‘n opwindende aand vol verrassings!

Petro Botha.

 

Pianist Pieter Jacobs an outstanding performer!

Die gehoor was in ekstase met hierdie pianis, wat sy doktorsgraad by Yale Universiteit ontvang het, se uitstaande vertoning! Daar word tereg na hom in artikels verwys as “manjefiek”. Om ‘n program van hierdie omvang en uiteenlopende styltydperke sonder bladmusiek te doen, is beslis ‘n groot prestasie!

The concert opened with the Beethoven Sonata no 17 in D minor, “Tempest”, which may refer to the work of Shakespeare by the same name.  In the first movement, Largo, almost tragic, he successfully captured the passionate character with impressive dynamic contrasts. Then followed a sweet and soothing interpretation of the Adagio. The third movement, Allegro with its recurring theme, was perfectly handled on different alternating sound levels!

Hierop volg Brahms : Rhapsodie Op 79. ’n Rhapsodie is ‘n intense, soms ekstatiese genre en vereis n improvisatoriese benadering wat die hele omvang van die klavier behels. Hiermee het die pianis uitstekend geslaag en veral die uitdagende tegniese lopies in No 1, gemerk Agitato, wat gejaagd beteken, verdien vermelding!

No.2 het gesorg vir ‘n totale kontras, baie passievol met perfekte tydberekening in die komplekse ritmiese raamwerk.

After a short break, the audience was transported to a fantasy world with a dreamy performance of Debussy’s Balade. In this piece, composed in 1890, Pieter created a colourful, romantic free-flowing feeling in total contrast to the preceding works. With the energy of Schuman’s Arabesque with its highly decorative, semi-improvised runs, he once again displayed masterful technical skill that flowed comfortably between “light” and “gloomy”.

Laaste op die program was die transkripsie van die ”Chaconne” van Bach se partita vir solo-viool. In hierdie indrukwekkende werk is die kuns om ‘n volmaakte balans te vind tussen die uitbeelding van die soloviool en die gewigtige klavierharmonieё, wat byna die idee skep van ‘n multi-orkes, met ‘n herhalende baslyn. Pieter Jacobs het puik daarin geslaag !

Hy is beloon met ‘n luide staande applous en het die gehoor ten laaste bederf met die geliefde Valse, Op. 64 no 2 van Chopin.

Petro Botha

UBUNTU BRASS QUINTET. 24 April 2026 Wat n belewenis!

Hierdie ensemble geniet dit beslis om saam musiek te maak en hulle entoesiasme was aansteeklik!

Die program het luidkeels afgeskop met die bekende en geliefde Trumpet Voluntary, waarna die kalmer Pachelbel Canon gevolg het met ‘n baie interressante verwerking deur Walter Barnes. Die werk vra vir uitdagende asembeheer, wat uitstekend hanteer is en gesorg het vir ‘n baie ritmiese klimaks! Die groep se intonasie en suksesvolle samespel het beĭndruk!

Handle’s beloved Largo was performed almost tenderly, creating excellent dynamic differences that demonstrated good control on a brass instrument. The exuberant Hallelujah Chorus by Mozart, deserves mention - the interweaving of the melody between instruments was carried out with great care, as it was originally written as choral music and great differences in dynamics are required.

Daarop het die Locus Iste, ook ‘n koorverwerking, gevolg, waar die sagter dele uiters begaafd uitgevoer is met perfekte spoed, tydsberekening en frasering. Die skuiftrompet het ‘n musikale toertjie volvoer in My Heart ever Faithful!

Die 2 mars-agtige werke van Bizet, Farandole en Toreadore was voorwaar feestelik en energiek, terwyl Just a Closer Walk gewys het dat koperinstrumente ook nostalgiese/deernisvolle oomblikke kan optower.

A very touching, humorous Frere Jacques arrangement followed, leaving the concertgoer with a smile over a melody from everyone’s youth! Amazing Grace really touched the heartstrings, where the melody was successfully woven between the “voices”, with the stalwart tuba carrying everyone as if in a safety net.

‘n Baie treffende, humoristiese, Frere Jacques- verwerking het gevolg, wat die konsertganger met ‘n glimlag gelaat het met ‘n melodie uit almal se jeug!

Die gehoor was op hul voete toe die “encore” ons aangryp met die massiewe klank van die “Highland Cathedral” en ‘n bekende Stilbaaier (en lid van die musiekvereniging) Jimmy, instap met sy doedelsak! Dit was ‘n groot bederf en is ontvang met waarderende entoesiasme!

Kortom – n heerlike suksesvolle aand wat almal met n warm gevoel om die hart gelaat het.

Petro

 

Gustavo Romero betower!

 

Breathtaking! That's how concert pianist Gustavo Romero's concert on March 13 was described.

His programme was ushered in with three Russian composers who were themselves outstanding pianists in their day – as highlighted by Romero. 

Eerste aan die beurt was Rêve Angélique (Angélique se droom) van Rubinstein, wat hy met die warm linkerhand-melodie en vloeiende regterhand byna teer soos water laat opbou het tot ’n klimaks.

Hierna volg die sangerige Canzona Serenata van Nikolai Medtner, treurig en vol emosie.

Dit word afgesluit met die baie ritmiese, uitbundige, moderne klanke van Prokofiev se Danza Op. 32 no.1.

Die Rachmaninof-variasies op ’n tema van Chopin Op. 22 was absoluut briljant! Romero het die verskillende genres en style van die variasies skitterend vertolk en dinamies gevleg deur die style en periodes, wat Rachmaninof baie slim verwerk het. Daar bestaan baie opnames van hierdie werk, maar dit was beslis die beste wat ek al gehoor het.

Die Scriabin-preludes is uitgevoer met akademiese presiesheid, perfekte tempo en tydsberekening.

Die Firebird-suite van Stravinsky was soos vuurwerke – tegnies uitdagend en kragtig met stylvolle afwisseling tussen uitbarstings en kalmte. Dit was deurgaans uiters boeiend tot by die Finale.

Romero's astonishing musical and emotional colouring led to a spontaneous standing ovation by the appreciative audience. As an encore, he treated us to the lesser-known Enchanted Nymph from Levitzki.

What really impressed was that he performed the whole concert without any sheet music and with intense focus and concentration. 

What an exceptional artist!

-       Petro Botha

 

Breathtaking! That's how concert pianist Gustavo Romero's concert on March 13 was described.

His programme was ushered in with three Russian composers who were themselves outstanding pianists in their day – as highlighted by Romero. These were Rêve Angélique (Angélique's dream) by Rubinstein, the Canzona Serenata by Nikolai Medtner, and Prokofiev's Danza Op. 32 no.1.

The Rachmaninov Variations on a theme from Chopin Op. 22 were absolutely brilliant! The Scriabin preludes were performed with academic precision, perfect pacing, and timing.  And Stravinsky's Firebird suite was like fireworks .

Romero's astonishing musical and emotional colouring led to a spontaneous standing ovation by the appreciative audience. As an encore, he treated us to the lesser-known Enchanted Nymph from Levitzki.