A MUSICAL cornucopia awaits music lovers at Nederburg in Paarl this winter when some of the world’s most fêted classical musicians perform in the 2009 Nederburg Concert Series.
First to take the stage on Sunday May 31 at 17:00 is leading Russian cellist Suren Bagratuni.
Since winning the Silver Medal at the 1986 International Tchaikovsky Competition while still a student at the Moscow Conservatory, Bagratuni has enjoyed a distinguished international career as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.
* Next to take the stage on Sunday 28 June is renowned local flutist Liesl Stoltz accompanied by pianist Albie van Schalkwyk. They will be playing popular sonatas from Prokofiev, Martinu and Poulenc.
Stoltz, a Stellenbosch graduate, considered one of South Africa’s leading flutists and has won numerous local music awards including the ATKV-Forte (where she won the woodwind section in 1997 and was overall winner in 1999). Internationally she also achieved many successes.
* An exciting collaboration, between the Danish Nightingale String Quartet and South Africa’s most prominent African bow player Madosini, will take place on Sunday 19 July.
Together their performance will give life to the African Bow Project, an initiative aimed at keeping the artistry of the African bow alive. Composers from many South African traditions are invited to transcribe a traditional uhadi bow song and arrange it for mezzo-soprano and string quartet.
* Russian soprano Evgenia Grekova will be featured at the Sunday 9 August concert as part of her debut concert tour of the country.
She will be accompanied by Irina Puryshinskaja, a solo pianist in her own right and their repertoire will include works by Schubert, Rachmaninov and Bernstein.
* On Sunday 6 September Swiss musicians Bruno Meier (flute) and Nicolas Corti (viola) are joined by Dutch classical guitarist Han Jonkers in an intimate performance of works by Joseph Kreutzer, Heinrich Neumann, Willy Burkhard, Rudolf Kelterborn and Antonio Diabelli.
* The ever popular soprano Sabina Mossolow and the accomplished pianist Elna van der Merwe will grace the stage on Sunday 25 October and entertain audience members with a programme entitled “Wine, Women and Song”.
The duo will initially perform works by women composers such as Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, Clara Schumann and Alma Mahler, and then concentrate on well-known works by Verdi and Rossini that incorporate themes of wine and love.
* This year’s exceptional concert series ends on a high note on Sunday 29 November with the annual picnic concert held on the sprawling lawns in front of the Manor House at 17:00.
One of South Africa’s hottest musical acts, Sterling Electric Quartet (EQ) shows that classical music can be arranged and played in exciting contemporary styles and that local chart hits can also be reworked and reinvented to be given the lush orchestral treatments that transform club hits into pop classics.
* All chamber music performances in the Manor House start promptly at 17:00. Tickets are R125 per person and include Nederburg wines and a delicious light supper. Patrons are urged to book well in advance with Irma Albers on 021-809-8106 or Sonja Morkel on 021-809-8344 or e-mail ialbers@distell.co.za.
