Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra’s Winter Symphony Season is Here!
The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra’s Winter Season is here! Join them every Thursday – from May 30 to June 20 – at 19h30 at the Linder Auditorium, for what promises to be another bumper World Symphony Series Season.
Bongani Tembe, the Orchestra’s Chief Executive and Artistic Director, says: “Following the tremendous success of the Johannesburg Philharmonic’s sold-out Summer Season, we are excited to bring another series of world class concerts featuring top international performers as well as the cream of South African talent. We have come to cherish the rapport we enjoy with Joburg’s audiences and continue to work hard to present concerts of the highest calibre – elevating the city and adding to our vibrant cultural scene.
“For our first Winter Season Concert on May 30, we welcome conductor Conrad van Alphen and adored piano soloist Jan Bartoš. Hailing from the Czech Republic, Bartoš is the recipient of a multitude of international awards and scholarships, including first prize at the Zaslavsky-Koch Competition (New York) and the Rucorva Trust Award (the Netherlands). We can’t wait to see him tap into our city’s emotion with every ebony and ivory key.”
Continues Tembe: “Concert two features Durban-born South African Soprano, Dr Bronwen Forbay, who has dazzled local and international audiences, winning a number of prestigious awards including the Fulbright Scholarship Award (2000–2002), the Schollmaier Foundation Scholarship Award (2002-2004), the Meadows Concerto Competition (2004), the UNISA Southern African Voice Competition (2005) and most Outstanding Performance in an Opera, Sam Adams Award, University of Cincinnati (2005) among others. Forbay performs under the baton of our dear friend and accomplished Japanese maestro, Yasuo Shinozaki who is no stranger to the South African stage.
“We welcome the charismatic conductor Daniel Boico to the podium for Concert three which presents soloist, James Austin Smith on the oboe. Another Fulbrighter, James is an artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and Decoda, co-principal oboist of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and Artistic and Executive Director of Tertulia, a chamber music series that takes place in restaurants in New York and San Francisco. He will perform Strauss’s Oboe Concerto, a notoriously difficult piece for soloists to tackle, but one that has moved many an audience around the world.
“Finally, to close this bumper season, we are thrilled to welcome back to our stage conductor Daniel Raiskin. Maestro Raiskin’s regular guest appearances include the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan, Orchestre National de Lyon, Stuttgarter Philharmonikern, Swedish Chamber Orchestra and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. He is joined by the wonderful South African Steinway Artist, pianist Ben Schoeman, who has done the South African music scene very proud with his multiple achievements both locally and internationally.”
Audience members are encouraged to book their season tickets which secures their seat for all four concerts and offers a discount of up to 25%. Single tickets are available via Quicket, while season subscriptions can be purchased by emailing rosie@jpo.co.za.
For more information, visit www.jpo.co.za or follow them on social media @johannesburgphiliharmonic.
WINTER SYMPHONY SEASON OVERVIEW
CONCERT 1: Thursday May 30, 19h30, Linder Auditorium
Conductor: Conrad van Alphen
Soloist: Jan Bartoš – piano
Programme:
1. Georges Bizet: L’Arlesienne: Suite no2
2. Mendelssohn: piano concerto no2
3. Elgar: Enigma Variations
CONCERT 2: Thursday June 6, 19h30, Linder Auditorium
Conductor: Yasuo Shinozaki
Soloist: Bronwen Forbay – soprano
Programme:
1. Georges Bizet: Prelude from Carmen
2. Georges Bizet: “Je dis que rien m’epouvante” from Carmen
3. Gabriel Faure: Pavanne, Op.50
4.Francesco Cilea: “Ecco:respire appena” from Adriana Lecouvreur
5. Charles Gounod: Overture from Romeo et Juliette, CG9
6. Charles Gounod: “Je veux vivre dans ce reve” from Romeo et Juliette
INTERVAL
7. Tchaikovsky: symphony No. 3
CONCERT 3: Thursday June 13, 19h30, Linder Auditorium
Conductor: Daniel Boico
Soloist: James Austin Smith – oboe
Programme:
1. Cesar Frank: Les Eolides
2. Strauss: oboe concerto
3. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony no 41 in C major, K.551 Jupiter
CONCERT 4: Thursday June 20, 19h30, Linder Auditorium
Conductor: Daniel Raiskin
Soloist: Ben Schoeman – piano
Programme:
1. Elfrida Andrée: Concert Overture in D major
2. Ludwig van Beethoven: piano concerto no4 in G major, op.58
3. Edvard Grieg: Symphony in c minor
ABOUT THE JOHANNESBURG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, informally referred to as the JPO, was formed in May 2000 by a group of committed and resilient musicians. JPO performs a regular series of Symphony Seasons, attracting the best of international and local soloists and conductors, as well as being the orchestra of choice for State functions in Gauteng. With a sincere commitment to consistently high standards in performance, its aim is to not only deliver quality performances to audiences, but also establish a benchmark for aspirant musicians. This includes those who are tutored through the JPO’s own educational arm (the Academy), as well as those who perform in the many youth orchestras and ensembles around Gauteng. The JPO strives to be nationally and internationally recognised as the country’s leading philharmonic orchestra, ensuring the ongoing sustainability and growth of music traditions. One of its main focus areas is to make music as accessible to the broader community as possible. It also endeavours to challenge the prevailing perception of classical music performances as being elitist and Euro-centric, by appealing to local audiences with performances that incorporate the greatest examples of classical and South African music genres.
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