KZNPO plays winter symphony series
Have you purchased your season tickets yet?
MUSIC lovers will enjoy the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Winter Symphony Season, a series of six Thursday evening concerts, at the Durban City Hall from 15 May to 19 June.
Launched by Zubin Mehta in 1996, the World Symphony Series continues to attract the cream of international and South African musicians.
The outstanding feature of this winter season is the variety it offers, with at least 70 musicians on stage at each concert.
This season brings diversity in both repertoire and soloists which include violin, classical guitar, piano and opera singers. Two of the concerts feature choral works while the closing concert of the season is an opera gala showcasing international rising star, Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Krysty Swann. Popular South African soloists include Francois du Toit, Chris Duigan (both piano) and James Grace (classical guitar).
Bongani Tembe, chief executive and artistic director of the KZN Philharmonic, said an important component of the KZN Philharmonic’s Professional Development Initiative is offering performance opportunities to young talented South African musicians which often acts as a springboard to their future professional careers. “In keeping with this initiative, every year members of the Bochabela String Orchestra, who comprise of young budding musicians mostly from the townships around Bloemfontein, travel to Durban to perform alongside the orchestra,” he said.
The opening concert on 15 May will feature the Bochabela Strings as well as a 16 year old up-and-coming American violin star, Ade Williams as soloist. This concert is dedicated to the global Music against Child Labour Initiative.
On the educational front visiting conductors and soloists have been approached to present master-classes to members of the KZN Philharmonic’s National Cadetship Programme as well as to students of the Durban Music School and the UKZN Opera School.
The Thursday night symphony concerts commence at 7.30pm, however for those who enjoy more background to what they are going to listen to, there is a pre-concert lecture in association with the Friends of Music at 6.15pm in the Alhambra Room at the Playhouse Theatre across the road from the City Hall.
The KZN Youth Wind Band will also entertain concertgoers for free outside the City Hall on Church Walk from 6.30pm on concert nights.
Bookings through Computicket on 0861 915 8000 or purchase directly from Shoprite Checkers Money market counters.
