Dear Friends,
It has been a while since my last newsletter but that has been due entirely to personal circumstances. I am writing this as an interim newsletter to inform you of two upcoming concerts that I am sure will interest you and for which booking is now open. I will be writing again soon to let you know of our other activities.
The first is the annual FOM late-autumn soirée at Old Mutual House that is this year taking place on Saturday, 14 May 2016 at 5.30 for 6.00 pm. As you know this is a very well-subscribed event for which there are only 120 seats available. This year we are extremely proud to be presenting a chamber concert with a difference in that the programme contains works that are not frequently performed in Cape Town. Moreover, we are very fortunate that we have secured artists of the very highest calibre including David Juritz – former leader of the London Mozart Players – Nina Schumann and Peter and Suzanne Martens amongst others. I say amongst others since the programme calls for no fewer than 13 musicians: Rachmaninoff Vocalise scored for 6 cellos, his Cello Sonata and then the very lyrical Mendelssohn Octet which has been described as follows: “Its youthful verve, brilliance and perfection make it one of the miracles of nineteenth-century music”. This is going to be a superlative evening which will, as usual, end with a light supper and wine in very gracious surroundings.
Booking has been heavy and there are not many tickets left. The prices are R400 for Friends and R450 for non-members. Please book soon with me at (082) 557-6566 or Ruth Allen at (083) 292-4645 or (021) 794-2435.
The second event which will be of interest to members of the Friends and of which FOM is a co-sponsor is an Easter Baroque festival presented by the St Michael’s Heritage Festival in collaboration with the Friends of Orchestral Music.
EASTER BAROQUE FESTIVAL Endler Hall – 1 April 2016 – 20h00
Featuring vocal soloists Antoinette Blyth, Marcelle Steinmetz, Given Nkosi and Riaan Hunter; and Camerata Tinta Barocca and the Heritage Festival Choir conducted by Andrew Lucas.
Symphony No 5 in D – Boyce
20 March 2016
Brandenburg Concerto No 5 in D – J.S. Bach Organ Concerto No 2 in B flat – Handel (soloist: Andrew Lucas)
EASTER ORATORIO – J.S. Bach
(soloists Antoinette Blyth, Marcelle Steinmetz, Given Nkosi, Riaan Hunter).
Andrew Lucas has been the Master of the Music of St Alban’s Cathedral and the Music Director of the Bach Choir since 1998. He was also artistic director of the St Albans International Organ Festival from 1999 to 2007, directing four festivals. A product of the Royal College of Music in London where his teachers included John Birch and Herbert Howells, he subsequently spent seventeen years at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, the last eight years as assistant director of Music, before moving to St Albans. His numerous recordings for the Hyperion and Naxos labels have received critical acclaim and he has played concerts throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Bermuda and the United States. This is also going to be a very special event and your support will be much appreciated.
Two wonderful concerts to look forward to. I look forward to seeing you at both!
NB: Please also remember to renew your annual subscription to FOM. If you are not on the list that we will supply to Dial-a-Seat by the time booking opens for the next symphony season starting in April, you will not receive the additional 10% discount on season tickets.
Best wishes,
DEREK AURET
Chairman: Friends of Orchestral Music (Cape Town)