NWU Guitar Ensemble is a feast for the ears
The NWU Guitar Ensemble concluded the concert with four compositions,
The NWU Guitar Ensemble, as part of School of Music concert series, returned to the concert platform after being interrupted by Covid-19. They blew a fresh breeze into the organ hall’s coziness in collaboration with guest artists.
The ensemble is led by guitar lecturer Thinus Boshoff, and comprises staff members Amalia van der Westhuizen and Jaco Kruger, as well as five students, namely Julian Watson-Reinecke, Tessa Badenhorst, Daniella Bunt, Wilhelm Meyer and Nikilitha, joined for the evening by guest percussionist Dilon Bhana.
The programme commenced with Antoinette Olivier (soprano) and Jaco Kruger (guitar) performing Abschied by Italian composer Mauro Giuliani, followed by three English folk songs. The latter were presented in a gentle but lively manner, and the audience responded with enthusiasm to The lady who loved a swine(!). Amalia van der Westhuizen (guitar) joined Olivier with an overwhelming rendition in Spanish of Joaquin Rodrigo’s love song, Adela.
Then followed a set of beautiful adaptations of folk songs from Russia, Ukraine, Spain and Italy for two guitars, performed by Van der Westhuizen and Kruger. This included the well-known and melancholic Two guitars, as well as Don’t go Gregory, an 18th century song about love and revenge which is currently being revitalised as symbol of Ukrainian nationality.
A guitar concert without Vivaldi would not be complete so Boshoff joined Van der Westhuizen and Kruger in an arrangement of the sparkling Allegro from the Concerto for two violins and string orchestra, op. 3/8.
Well-known violinist Piet Koornhof joined Kruger, and livened up the evening with the seductive Latin American sounds of Celso Machado’s Musiques populaires bresilliennes. The merged sound of violin and guitar varied from soulful and melodious to energetic and rhythmic.
Flute lecturer André Oosthuizen and Boshoff then performed Maximo Pujol’s Suite Buenos Aires, which comprises an engaging conversation between the instruments, as well as percussive rhythmic effects on the body of the guitar.
The NWU Guitar Ensemble concluded the concert with four compositions, starting with Sequences en kit and Paysage Iberique by Canadian composer Luc Levesque. This was followed by the well-known Sons de Carrilhoes (The sound of bells) by Joao Pernambuco. The evening was concluded with the famous tango, La Cumparsita, by Gerardo Rodriguez. It was a pleasure to hear a guitar ensemble and other musicians offering such a varied and enjoyable program in Potchefstroom.
The ensemble repeated their program at the Muzikverein in Viljoenskroon. This venue is the renovated Catholic church building run by owner Ken Evans.
The concert was sold out and so much enjoyed by the local audience that the ensemble was invited back for a concert in 2023.
