CHAPEL

60 MINS

SUN 1600

R 80

On the 10th anniversary of the MUSIC REVIVAL CONCERT SERIES at the WITNESS HILTON ARS FESTIVAL, concert director and pianist, Christopher Duigan, explores the relevance of, and possibilities for, a classically-trained concert pianist in a modern age. With unprecedented access to a greater variety of recorded music than ever before, a modern audience enjoys an unlimited range of music.  As such, listeners are easily exposed to music that crosses over boundaries of genre, culture, style, and time.  The modern ‘piano recital’ must surely reflect this accessibility, not only for pianists, but also for the audience for whom they are playing. Christopher Duigan rises to this challenge in this carefully curated selection of music from a varied number of sources that cut across a range of intentions, styles, cultures and times.  In a presentation that is entertaining, enlightening and uplifting he will play music by traditional classical composers like Franz Liszt and JS Bach along with music by the King of Ragtime, Scott Joplin, as well as traditional and ‘nuevo’ tango, and contemporary film music. Widely regarded as one of South Africa’s leading and most innovative concert artists, Duigan was invited in 2010 onto the Steinway Artists Roster, joining some of the world’s most celebrated pianists.

CHAPEL

60 MINS

SUN 1400

R 80

Acclaimed guitarist, two time SAMA nominee, KANNA Award winner for Best Male Artist at the 2010 KKNK, 2011 KykNET Fiesta award winner and widely acknowledged as  one of the hardest working concerts artists in South Africa,  James Grace performs highlights from his award winning catalogue of CDs including Music of Spain, Café Latino and  World Café.  James is joined by Christopher Duigan at the piano for selected new items from their ongoing collaboration of improvised guitar and piano music, exploring the tango, jazz and contemporary film music genres.

CHAPEL

60 MINS

SAT 1800

R 80

A visit to the popular ‘Last Night of the Proms’ concept has now become an annual event at Hilton following the previous year’s whopping performance.  Together with choirs from Hilton College and Herschel Girls’ School, Cape Town, this gathering of soloists offers festival goers an impressive line-up. Come and sing along in the Hilton College Chapel to the rousing anthems Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia and I Vow to Thee, My Country.  Festival soloists offer a variety of performances: classical guitarist, James Grace; KZN resident and newcomer soprano, Fae Evelyn, now studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, singing popular operatic arias -  Je Veux Vivre from Romeo and Juliette by Gounod, and  the much loved O mio Babbino by Puccini; and  a short interlude from the  entertaining eight-handed two piano music featured in the Piano Passion programme earlier in the day. Christopher Duigan plays Liszt’s dazzling La Campanella inspired by the legendary violinist Nicola Paganini, as well as La Danza at two pianos with piano Andrew Warburton, plus music for guitar and piano with James Grace . An outstanding and varied musical celebration where you, the audience, are encouraged to join in.

CHAPEL

60 MINS

SAT 1200

R 80

Following on from his exploration of the music of Frederic Chopin last year, Steinway virtuoso, Christopher Duigan, returns to the festival  with an outstanding programme of music by Franz Liszt. The greatest pianist of all time, Hungarian-born Franz Liszt (1811-1886) was a pianist of extraordinary technical and musical virtuosity.  The first in this series of Liszt performances in 2011, on the 200th anniversary of his birth,  includes a sequence of thrilling performance pieces and  popular compositions: Liebestraume No 3, Hungarian Rhapsodies Nos. 2 and 12 together with  Concert Studies La Campanella,, La Leggierezza and  Harmonies du soir.  Liszt's transcription from Donizetti's Lucia di Lamermoor along with music that represent  the varied styles of Liszt's composing and  piano playing complete the selection.

CHAPEL

60 MINS

SUN 1200

R 80

This programme of classical masterpieces featuring four orchestral wind instruments combined with piano sets the tone for a magnificent Sunday at the festival. Young soloists from the Kwa Zulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra  Kirsten Sayers (clarinet), Maggi Deppe (oboe),  Marian van Duyker (French horn) and Anele Mnguni, (bassoon) are joined by Christopher Duigan (piano) to play the Wind Quintets by  Ludwig van  Beethoven and  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  Shortly after the premiere of his Quintet on E-flat major K452 March, 1784 at the Imperial and Royal National Court Theatre in Vienna, Mozart wrote to his father: "I myself consider it to be the best thing I have written in my life." This music was the inspiration for a 26 year-old  Ludwig van Beethoven, who composed his Quintet, op 16 twelve years later.  Beethoven’s expansive style is clearly evident in this music. A newcomer to Vienna, the youthful Beethoven had quickly made his mark, dazzling all with his amazing ability as pianist and improviser, and his brilliantly original compositions.

CHAPEL

60 MINS

SAT 1400

R 80

A truly amazing feast of piano music, pianos and pianists and for anyone whole likes any kind of piano music -  music for two, four, six and eight hands at one or two pianos! Introducing three young KZN pianists; Lloyd Blackbeard, Ewan Slabber (14) and Rashalia Pather (17), piano students of Liezl-Maret Jacobs  in Durban, the three young  pianists collaborate with and perform under the guidance of  KZN concert pianists, Andrew Warburton  and Christopher Duiga, in this celebration of all things pianistic.  The selection of music includes Smetana’s Rondo and the jaunty Califf of Baghdad Overture for eight hands, Qui vive Galop for six hands, and Schubert’s popular March Militaire for four hands, providing an entertaining and enlightening  presentation promoting young talent in collaboration with world-class professionals in a varied and fun concert.   Plus there is music for, as expected, two hands, and also one hand!

CHAPEL

60 MINS

FRI 20H00

R 90

The Phantom of the Opera (1925) Silent movie with organ improvisation - Zorada Temmingh.  Eighty  years ago director, Rupert Julian, and acto, Lon Chaney, understood that true horror comes from character and surroundings. There have been many subsequent versions based on Gaston Leroux's novel, but none have surpassed this silent classic.   It's an oft told tale: lovely Christine (Mary Philbin) is a fine singer with a most devoted fan.  Christine believes the melodic voice coming through the walls of her dressing room is a guardian angel, but it is mad Erik, filled with love for her and vengeance for anyone who gets in her way.  Restored in 1992, this definitive version of Phantom can be seen in nearly all of its former glory, including the full colour Masque of the Red Death sequence that had audiences gasping in their seats. Since the story is set in the Paris Opera House and the Phantom himself plays the organ in the film, Zorada  Temmingh bases her improvisation on music from Gounod's Faust and a variety of other 19th century operas. Stellenbosch organist, Zorada Temmingh, has become known as South Africa’s leading organ improviser. She was the first South African to release a solo CD of organ improvisations (Linguis Angelorum) and also the first South African to improvise an organ soundtrack for a silent film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (2005). Zorada performs regularly as organist and pianist at arts festivals countrywide.

CHAPEL

60 MINS

SAT 10H00

R 80

Young local performers in concert

Preparing a stage for young and talented local musicians SOUND BEGININGS, first presented in association with the Hilton College Theatre, focuses on a number of talented school-goers in one varied concert. Following auditions held at various KZN Midlands schools, the concert brings together a number of ‘up and coming’ performers deserving recognition and exposure and  provides a  much needed platform for them. Coordinated and introduced by concert series director, Christopher Duigan, who collaborates on stage with selected performers,  this concert  will be  showcasing both the cream of local classical instrumentalists as well as singer/songwriters in original material, including the super-talented, Ruby Gill.