MBOMBELA – Four cellos and a mezzo soprano entertained an audience at the Woodenways Luxury Furniture store in Riverside last Sunday afternoon.
The Lowveld Chamber Music Association arranged for cello virtuoso Berthine van Schoor, her student Mpho Ngobeni, teacher Neo Buthelezi, arranger Michael Viljoen on cello, and mezzo-soprano Linette van der Merwe, to entertain Mbombela.
The audience listened to a variety of pieces, from baroque to contemporary, including a short South African suite.
One of the highlights of the show was the rendition of the “Por una Cabeza” tango by Carlos Gardel, better known as the music for the tango in the movie, “Scent of a Woman.”
Van der Merwe also highlighted the range of her vocal abilities with George Gershwin’s “Summertime”.
Van Schoor played a 160-year-old cello made by Georg Tiefenbrunner in Munich, 1849.
The association’s Walter Fourie said the event was a success, as most of the audience enjoyed the performance.
“People are requesting more events like it in the future.”
Woodenways Furniture’s Tiaan Burger said the music inspired him to host the event, as did being part of the Lowveld Chamber Music Association. “People don’t know chamber music, and it is normally held at somebody’s house. So we tried to mimic the same feeling by just putting the furniture out there and letting everyone sit as if it is in your own lounge or your own dining area.”
He said they were holding plenty of functions at Woodenways for charity, not just specifically for promotions.
“We will promote live music first and foremost, and any other events with artists bringing art to the Lowveld,” said Burger.
