The KZNPO’s new asset

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American violinist Joanna Frankel, the KZNPOs new concert master, who will be introduced to this evenings audience in the Durban City Hall.

The KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra will introduce its new concert master, Joanna Frankel, to the audience at this evening’s Valentine’s Day symphony concert in the Durban City Hall.

A top prize winner in several young artists’ competitions, Frankel is from Philadelphia, US. As a soloist, she has performed across the US and Europe at such major venues as Carnegie Hall, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Rachmaninoff Hall, Glazunov Hall, Suk Hall, Rudolfinum, Slovak Philharmonic Hall, Vanemuise Hall and The Sibelius Academy’s Chamber Music Hall. She has appeared with many orchestras.

Announcing her appointment, Bongani Tembe, the KZNPO chief executive said: “I believe Joanna Frankel will prove to be a significant asset to the KZN Philharmonic.

“We are proud to have secured a violinist of her calibre as our new concert master. Joanna, who was trained at the Juillard School, my alma mater, is a serious musician endowed with a good technique. Her approach to musical phrasing and articulation is fantastic.”

Tembe commended Hristo Kardjiev, the outgoing concert master, by saying: “Hristo has dedicated a good measure of his life to the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra as our concert master for the past 22 years – for this we are most grateful.

“I am delighted that our relationship with him will continue into his retirement so that we will still benefit from his experience and beautiful tone.”

Daniel Boico will be on the podium for this evening’s programme which opens with Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, followed by Bruch’s Violin Concerto in G minor with soloist Anna Tifu, considered one of the most talented Italian artists of her generation.

After interval the Spanish classical guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas takes centre stage in a performance of Rodrigo’s Concerto de Aranjuez. After capturing the Gold Medal at the inaugural Christopher Parkening International Guitar Competition, Villegas quickly established himself as one of the world’s leading classical guitarists. He has performed in more than 20 countries on such prestigious stages as New York’s Carnegie Hall, Milan’s Sala Verdi and Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Theatre.

The recipient of more than 25 international awards including the Andrés Segovia award, Villegas has appeared as a soloist with many leading chamber orchestras around the world, and has participated in a host of international festivals.

He has worked with prominent composers, including George Crumb, Cristóbal Halffter and Helmut Lachenmann. Villegas has appeared with ABC, the BBC, Radio 2 Clásica RNE, TVE, Radio France and Euroradio.

Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite brings the evening’s concert to a close.

Next Thursday evening Boico returns to the Durban City Hall podium for performances of Cesar Frank’s Symphonic Variations, Chopin’s Piano Concerto No 2 and Bizet’s Symphony in C major.

The evening’s soloist will be the young Russian virtuoso, Yulianna Avdeeva, who received international recognition in 2010 as the winner of first prize of the 16th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw – the competition that launched the legendary Martha Argerich’s career in 1965. Avdeeva started piano lessons aged five, studied at the Gnessin Special School of Music in Moscow and graduated from Zürcher Hochschule der Künste.

The fourth concert in the KZNPO’s current Summer Season takes place on February 28. This sees Bernard Gueller returning to the city hall podium. The evening’s first half will feature two works by Benjamin Britten to mark the centenary of great British composer’s birth in 1913.

Opening the programme will be The Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, the first masterpiece in Britten’s operatic canon to achieve international recognition after its 1945 premiere at Sadler’s Wells in London.

Britten’s Violin Concerto Opus 15, which pre-dated Peter Grimes by five years, will then be given a relatively rare performance by the distinguished French violinist, Philippe Graffin, making a welcome return to the KZNPO’s concert platform.

Beethoven’s Prometheus Overture and his Symphony No 8 will fill the second half of the evening’s programme.

Pre-concert lectures starting at 6.15pm are given under the aegis of Friends of Music in the Alhambra Room at the Playhouse.