RENOWNED PIANISTS TO PERFORM AT STELLENBOSCH INTERNATIONAL PIANO SYMPOSIUM
International and South African pianists will be in Stellenbosch from Wednesday 16 March to Sunday 20 March 2016 for the biannual Stellenbosch International Piano Symposium.
This year sees the sixth edition of the symposium, which has been held since 2006 at the Stellenbosch University’s Konservatorium and presented by the Department of Music.
Since its inception, this symposium has brought together both international and South African pianists to present master classes and lectures, and also perform in a range of concerts.Piano students from across South Africa attend the symposium to learn from some of best piano teachers.
The 2016 symposium will feature three international guest artists. The American pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi, a stalwart of the symposium and a pianist who regularly performs in South Africa, makes a welcome return to the symposium.
Joining him is Ilya Friedberg, a Russian-Israeli pianist who is an assistant to Menahim Pressler and a faculty member at Indiana University, as well as Nicholas Phillips from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.All three guest artists not only have busy international concert careers, but are also considered among the best piano pedagogues.
The South African faculty members are François du Toit, Franklin Larey and Albie van Schalkwyk from the University of Cape Town; Joseph Stanford from the University of Pretoria;Tinus Botha and Truida van der Walt from the North-West University in Potchefstroom; Catherine Foxcroft from Rhodes University in Grahamstown; Malcolm Nay from Wits University in Johannesburg; and Liezl-Maret Jacobs from Durban.
Stellenbosch University will be represented by Nina Schumann, Luis Magalhães, Pieter Grobler and Bennie van Eeden.
“It is an honour to have such esteemed colleagues from across the world in Stellenbosch to coach and lecture the next generation of South African pianists,” says Schumann, symposium Director.
From 16 to 20 March, music lovers can enjoy two symposium concerts per day – a lunch-time concert at 13:00 and an evening concert at 20:00, both presented in the Konservatorium’sEndler Hall.
Antonio Pompa-Baldi
Ilya Friedberg
On opening night, 16 March, Friedberg will present a recital, while Pompa-Baldi will perform in a recital on 19
March.On 17 March faculty members can be heard in the evening concert, as well as on 20 March when the Piano Extravaganza is present. This features ten pianos on stage, with the pianists performing a well-known orchestral work.
In 2012 the symposium expanded by re-launching the Hennie Joubert Piano Competition for young gifted players, offering attendees and learners an unmatched level of exposure to top level musicianship.
This year Round 2 and 3 of the competition will be held on 14 and 15 March, with the finals on 18 March.Finalists will get the opportunity to perform with the Stellenbosch University Symphony Orchestra under direction of CorvinMatei.
- Festival passes, participant and observer entries, as well as day passes may be obtained from Fiona Grayer at the Department of Music on (. For a detailed programme of the symposium, visit pianosymposium.co.za.