Season of sublime music approaches

THE KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra returns to the Durban City Hall for its four-week Winter Symphony Season of sublime world class music from 1 June until 22 June.

The season opens on Thursday 1 June at the Durban City Hall with a bumper concert. The acclaimed Yale University Glee Club Choir from the USA led by Dr Jeffrey Douma, professor of choral conducting at the Yale School of Music, performs Beethoven’s splendid Mass in C major, Op. 86. The Yale Glee Club will be joined by four vocalist soloists: Nozuko Teto, Violina Anguelov, Wayne Mkhize and Mthunzi Nokubeka.

With Naum Rousine on the podium, Belgian pianist Liebrecht Vanbeckenvoort, a laureate of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition and celebrated Steinway artist, takes the spotlight as the season’s first soloist performing Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op.15.

KZNPO associate guest conductor Daniel Boico takes to the podium for the second concert of the season on 8 June which features French violinist and recording artist, Philippe Graffin. Graffin performs Spanish violinist Edouard Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole. Also on the programme is a rare performance of Alexander Glazunov’s imposing Overture solennelle and Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93.

The third concert on 15 June is under the baton of Daniel Raiskin sees Czech pianist Lukas Vondracek perform the Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40 – a major work by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff. Opening the concert is Carl Maria von Weber’s exhilarating Overture to Euryanthe. Closing the concert is Czech composer Antonin Dvo?ák’s visceral Symphony No. 7.

The Winter Season of the 2017 World Symphony Series comes to a close on 22 June with an eclectic four-work programme. Daniel Raiskin returns to the podium to conduct the DECODA Ensemble – an affiliate ensemble of Carnegie Hall, New York, which join the KZN Phil to premiere a new work entitled Drop, which is an original composition of South African composer Matthijs van Dijk, which derives its nuances from the 21st century sound of electronic music.

Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski’s Dance Preludes buoyantly represents 20th century accentuation and tonality. DECODA return to the stage to perform in Haydn’s ebullient Sinfonia Concertante in B flat major Op.84 which boasts solo parts for violin, cello, oboe and bassoon pitted against a large orchestra. Ludwig van Beethoven’s iconic Fifth Symphony brings a grand sense of closure to the KZN Philharmonic’s Winter Season.

Single tickets are available from www.computicket.com, 0861 915 8000, or from Shoprite Checkers Money Market counters. For subscriptions contact 031 369 9438.

You cangain a deeper understanding of the music you are about to hear by attending the Friends of Music’s Pre-Concert Lecture in the Alhambra Room at the Playhouse starting at 6pm and entry is R10.