Trilogy of concerts to herald spring

The KZN Philharmonic Orchestra World Symphony Spring Season takes place over three consecutive Thursdays on October 31, November 7 and 14 in the Playhouse Opera and each will feature a women soloist (and one-woman conductor).

A fantastic and carefully-curated selection of pieces have been chosen for the season, all with a musical spring in their step, featuring works by Beethoven, Haydn, Chopin, Borodin, Bruch, Dvorák, Rossini, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky.

All performances start at 7pm.

The opening concert sees Brazilian-born Marcelo Lehninger on the conductor’s podium. He has been music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony since 2016 and was recently appointed artistic director of the Bellingham Festival of Music.

The programme features Beethoven Coriolan Overture, Op.62 where the composer’s genius portrays perfectly the immense tussle between Coriolanus’s angry vanity and the loving pleadings of family and country; Haydn Symphony No.104, D major ‒ the last of the twelve London symphonies; and Chopin Concerto, Piano, No.2, Op.21, F minor, the first of Chopin’s two concertos, to be performed by 22-year-old British star pianist, Jeneba Kanneh-Mason.

Week two presents a woman conductor and soloist. A native Indonesian of Chinese descent, Rebecca Tong is the resident conductor of the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra. The programme opens with Alexander Borodin’s In The Steppes Of Central Asia ‒ a symphonic poem composed in 1880 dedicated to Franz Liszt. The centrepiece is Scottish Fantasy, Op.46 ‒ a composition for violin and orchestra by Max Bruch showcasing South Korean violinist Soyoung Yoon, who works between Barcelona and Seoul, and closes with Dvorák Symphony No.5, Op.76, F Major known for its specific Bohemian sound.

The third and final concert on November 14 is a real red-letter day for music lovers as the KZN Philharmonic hosts the world-renowned Russian American classical pianist Olga Kern. Under the baton of Scottish conductor, Rory Macdonald, Kern will perform the evening’s centre piece ‒ Tchaikovsky Concerto, Piano, No.1, Op.23, B-flat minor ‒ one of the most popular of Tchaikovsky’s compositions and among the best known of all piano concerti. The programme opens with the overture of Gioachino Rossini’s final Italian opera, Semiramide; and closes with the three-movement work for orchestra by Jean Sibelius Symphony No.3, Op.52, C Major.

“We are delighted to present such a joyous close to our world symphony season musical year,” said KZN Philharmonic Orchestra CEO and artistic director Bongani Tembe.

“I am grateful to our KZN Philharmonic musicians and staff for working so hard to present such a dramatic and memorable final season. This year we look back on some remarkable public symphony concerts – always being dovetailed by the education, development and outreach work which the orchestra does all year long.

“It has also been affirming to see that women conductors have become so mainstream this year. We are proud of the diversity of our conductors and soloists for our seasons this year, reminding us of the global accessibility of fine music to men and women the world over,” he said.

“Thank you too to our faithful audiences whose continued support is so important to us all. Enjoy the Spring Season – and see you next year for our music for Summer!”

For those who prefer not to self-drive to town for the evening KZN Symphony Season concerts, there are buses from Caister Lodge; Westville Senior; St Agnes Kloof; Grace Church uMhlanga. Book through Quicket / subscribers’ book through KZNPO offices.

There are no public morning rehearsals this season.

KZN Philharmonic Season tickets, and bookings for individual concerts, are available at Quicket outlets. For more information call 031-369 9438, email bookings@kznphil.org.za or visit www.kznphil.org.za