GALLERY and VIDEO: Rand Symphony wows audience
BLAIRGOWRIE – Rand Symphony Orchestra performs their Tango with Classics at the NG church in Blairgowrie.
Standing ovations were the order of the day when the Rand Symphony Orchestra performed its Tango with the Classics. Held at the NG Church in Blairgowrie on 23 August, the Rand Symphony Orchestra showed that classical music is still alive and kicking.
Enthralling the audience with Tango Suite for Saxophone and Orchestra in the first half of the performance, saxophonist, Mathew Lombard was the soloist and he played gentle, smooth notes punctuated by dramatic high notes that are only known to the saxophone.
The show was conducted by Carel Henn, who last year took over the reins from Bernard Wozny, who conducted the Rand Symphony for 27 years. Henn led the Orchestra with precision, passion and a highly mastered hand. He carried the audience through tragic, sad moments and through Symphony no 7’s most tempered notes.
The Cellos led the way and the first and second violins followed and dramatised the mood in the entire hall.
Special mention must be made to Joanna Pettitt, the principal timpani and percussionist as she added the dramatic notes every time her percussion mallets made contact.
The evening was a spectacular musical affair.
Wozny said he found it very rewarding that Henn made the orchestra sound better than he predicted it would. “These types of events keep society aware that classical music is still alive. Here in South Africa we only have two professional orchestras and it’s sad because in China they have 160 orchestras,” said Woszny.
Even though Henn would have had an illustrious career overseas, he chose to come back to South Africa after his studies in Scotland.
“I love my country and I love classical music so it made sense for me to come back,” said Henn.
Cello player Hazel Cunnington from Northcliff said she felt sad that classical music in the country was so small.
“We need to get more sponsors, so that more musicians can dedicate themselves to classical music,” she said.
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