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30 Sept 2013

ARTSCAPE NATIONAL YOUTH MUSIC COMPETITIO​N 1-5 OCTOBER

The Artscape National Youth Music Competition strikes a royal flush this year with contestants participating in all four categories of the contest for the first time since its inception in 2007. The competition runs from 1 to 5 October in the Artscape Theatre and, the final round on the 5th is at 19.30.

Twenty three gifted musicians between the ages of 15 and 19 years have been selected at auditions to compete in the categories for piano, strings, wind instruments and other orchestral instruments.


Artscape CEO, Michael Maas states that this is one of the top three music competitions in South Africa, and the only one where the finalists compete against each other, accompanied by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO). It is a prestigious annual event that offers cash prizes totalling more than R110 000, as well as gold, silver and bronze medals. Category winners and their runners-up also gain free entry to a UNISA grade examination in 2014.

Maas says, “We are thrilled to have a royal flush with a percussionist and a harpist joining the challenge.  Last year's contest rendered an exciting unexpected result when, Kensuke Kawajiri (14) and Sulayman Human (19), both pianists, shared the laurels after receiving perfect, matching scores from eight adjudicators.”

This national competition caters for emerging musicians who are below the age limit for the UNISA International Music Competition and the ATKV Muziq competition. Having players in all four categories confirms our belief that there is a lot of undiscovered young talent out there”.

Each contestant takes part in the first two rounds, after which a maximum of twelve competitors go through to the third round. Thereafter, six finalists are chosen to perform with the CPO at a gala concert under the baton of British maestro, Tim Murray.

During the first two rounds, each competitor must play four works from at least three different style periods. One of the works must be a movement from a classical or romantic sonata. A later style period is allowed for brass instruments and saxophone.

Third round, contestants play a 20-minute recital of contrasting works, as well as a movement from a concerto; or a single work for the chosen instrument; or two movements from a concerto; or a complete concerto with piano accompaniment.

The adjudicators for 2013 include prominent academics and musicians from across South Africa whose expertise covers most of instruments represented in the competition. They are Ella Fourie (Piano), John Hinch (Flute), Franklin Larey (Piano), Marion Lewin (Cello), Michael Maas (CEO of Artscape), Suzanne Martens (Violin), Kutlwano Masote (Violin), Brandon Phillips (Bassoon) and Polina Burdukova (Cello).

In collaboration with UNISA, Artscape last year introduced a shadow jury consisting of former contestants to train them to becoming future music adjudicators. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive," says Maas.

The shadow jury this year are Matthew Ferrandi (Clarinet) Sang Woo Jun (Violin), Myles Roberts (Flute), Lieva Starker (Violin), Louise Theart (Flute) and the 2011 overall winner Eben Wagenstroom (Piano).  They will be advised by Arisa Voges and Sean Adams from UNISA.

All the rounds are open to the public. Entrance is free for the first three rounds and performed in the Artscape Theatre.

Round One Tuesday 1 October: Session 1: 15:00 - 17:30. Session 2: 19:00 - 21:30

Round Two Wednesday 2 October: Session 1: 09:00 - 12:45. Session 2: 14:00 - 17:45

Round Three Thursday 3 October: Session 1: 10:00 - 12:20. Session 2: 14:00 - 16:20
Session 3: 19:00 - 21:20

The final round on 5 October at 19.30 cost R100 per person. Block bookings of 10 or more, less 10%,   Pensioners, Students and Scholars 5-15 years R40. Book through Artscape Dial-a-Seat 021 421-7695, Computicket, Shoprite and Checkers outlets, call 0861 915 8000 or on line www.computicket.com

The National Youth Music Competition is presented by Artscape in association with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of Cape Town, Rupert Music Foundation and Fine Music Radio.

FIRST ROUND CONTESTANTS


NAME       INSTRUMENT TOWN/REGION/SUBURB


Emilio February (15), Percussion, Cape Town -Thornton

Niel Robertson (19), Flute, Cape Town - Mowbray

Danielle Rossouw (15), Clarinet, Cape Town - Welgemoed

Bronwyn Van Wieringen (18), Piano, Cape Town - Camps Bay

Caron Tremble (17), Bassoon, Cape Town - Brackenfell

Talisa Symons (19), Violin, Cape Town - Brackenfell

Tineke Wolfaardt |(17), Violin, Cape Town - Durbanville

Jesse Brand (16), Violin, Western Cape - Stellenbosch

Henley Jun  (16), Piano, Western Cape - Stellenbosch

Roelof Temmingh  (16), Piano, Western Cape - Stellenbosch

Danielle Salies (16), Violin, Western Cape - Paarl

Axolile Hoza (19), Flute, Western Cape - Caledon

Sakhile Humbane (17), Flute, Durban - Kwa Mashu

Rashalia Pather (19), Piano, Durban - Malvern

Misha Favis (17), Cello, Johannesburg - Parktown North

Francis Whitehead (15), Violin, Johannesburg - Dunkeld

Vivienne Janse Van Rensburg (19), Pedal Harp, Johannesburg - North Riding

Wilmien Janse Van Rensburg (17), Violin, Johannesburg - Melville

Jonathan Mayer (18), Violin, Johannesburg - Randburg

Amy Stessl   (15), Flute, Sandton - Wendywood

Lezanti Van Sittert (17), Piano, Pretoria -Theresa Park

Cameron Williams (16), Alto - Soprano Sax, Pretoria - Centurion

Mieke Struwig (17), Clarinet, Port Elizabeth - Summerstrand

 PRIZES

First Prize, Gold Medal (includes the category prize) R25 000 * 
Categories:
  -  Prize Winners, Silver Medal R 5 000
  -  Runners-up, Bronze Medal R 2 500
 All third round participants R 2 000
 All final round participants R 2 500
Yaltah Menuhin Award and Medal for the best pianist R4 000
Leon Hartshorne Award (best wind instrumentalist) R 4 000
Pauline Nossel Prize (best performance of a classical                                             
work by a pianist R 4 000
 Best performance of a concerto in the final round R 2 000  
Best performance of a South African work R 2 000
Most promising participant who is not a finalist R 1 500
*UNISA Shadow Jury Prize  R 2 000

Other prizes include the UNISA prizes for category winners and runners-up
to allow them to enter a UNISA grade examination in 2014 at no cost.
The overall winner will perform in concert at the Hilton College KwaZulu, Natal.
*The first prize amount includes the category prize as well as the third-round and final-round awards.

06 Sept 2013

The Kyle Shepherd Trio | Sat 7 Sept'13

This is a rare opportunity to see the Trio, with Shepherd on piano, Shane Cooper on double bass & Jonno Sweetman on drums, ‘LIVE’ in Cape Town at UCT - SA College of Music, Rondebosch, ahead of Shepherd’s tour to Europe where he will be performing the world premiere of his Festival d’Automne à Paris-commisioned compositional work, Xamissa - ‘Place of Sweet Waters’, at the prestigious Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris on 25 September 2013. This will be followed by another festival performance at L’Onde Théâtre et Centre d’art, Vélizy-Villacoublay on 27 September 2013 after which the young virtuosic pianist heads for Germany for a solo piano concert at the infamous Hallenbad Kultur Am Schactweg , Wolfsburg.


Shepherd has released three critically acclaimed South African Music Award-nominated albums, namely ‘fineART’, ‘A Portrait of Home’ and ‘South African History !X’. His debut solo piano album, recorded in Japan, will be launched in the East- Asian country during October 2013.

“… this is no antiseptic chopsfest: it is music of genuine passion, meditative and stately but always emotionally engaged. It has groove at its very core, with hummable, stripped back melodies on top – and not just in the “head” sections that traditionally top and tail jazz arrangements.” Marcus O’Dair | The Arts Desk UK

“This is improvisation as a search for freedom, “freedom from”, yes, but also “freedom to”, a key to unlock the doors of music making in the future”. Miles Keylock | Editor-in-Chief, Rolling Stone Magazine, South Africa

“Shepherd, a Cape Town native who will turn 26 this summer, plays piano with old-soul authority and composes rich, evocative music. He’s very much grounded in the myriad and compelling sounds of his homeland, but there’s a personal stamp on his art and an awareness of jazz beyond South Africa to it too. The latter adds dimension but never overtakes the music’s beautiful and powerful sense of rootedness.”  Peter Hum | Jazzblog.ca Canada

RESERVATIONS
Pre-Book Online at QUICKET & only pay R90.00*!
* Quicket add a service fee of R3.90 to each ticket (capped at R10 per transaction)
Or Pay R110.00 Cash at the Door

Seating Unreserved
Show Duration: 2 x 45 minute sets, with a 20 minute intermission

CDS & REFRESHMENTS
On Sale at the Concert [Cash Only]

VENUE MAP
The College of Music at UCT is located behind the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch i.e. on the Lower Campus of UCT. See MAP. Co-ordinates: N4
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ENQUIRIES
Email info@kyleshepherd.co.za or Call 072 351 5204
www.kyleshepherd.co.za

29 Aug 2013

Sathima Bea Benjamin's Memorial Concert


Jazz vocalist, Sathima Bea Benjamin's memorial concert will be held at St James Church, Kenilworth at 14:00(2pm) until approx 16:30(4:30pm) on Saturday, 31 August 2013.

Sathima passed away on Tuesday, 20 August 2013

St James Church, 114 3rd Avenue, Kenilworth, Cape Town.

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Come and celebrate an Evening of Cape Jazz with Errol Dyers and Friends!

Come and celebrate an Evening of Cape Jazz with Errol Dyers and Friends!

Heinrich Frans, Erin Clark, Mandla Mlangeni, George Werner, Peter Belhinda Ndlala, Carlo Fabe, The Little Giants and many more featured artist on the night. R50.00 cover charge.

Date: Sunday, 1 September 2013 @ 18:00
Venue: Club 021(Swingers Jazz Pub)
1 Wetwyn Road, Wetton

21 Aug 2013

EMOTIONAL EBBS AND FLOWS by Carol Martin

A Review of “Oscillations”, a CD by Shane Lee Cooper, www.shaneleecooper.com


Who would ever think that an award-winning young South African jazz bassist, with impressive collaborations in Europe and the USA, and past scholarship opportunities that helped grow his music, would divulge some inner personal turmoil in his first CD album, appropriately entitled “Oscillations”?   Shane Lee Cooper, born in 1985, is the 2013 Standard Bank Young Artist for jazz.  This CD contains another five  young Capetownians (also award winners) who, collectively, have produced varied soundscapes conveying uncertainties and vacillations about the future, possibly influenced by the wibble-wabbles of the past.  Perhaps the album’s producer, the eclectic pedal effects electronic bassist, Carlo Mombelli, has something to do with that.

Shane’s original songs are filled with melodic-cum-discordant phrases, at times with hopeful cadences and resolutions; at other times with intentional imbalance and reluctance.  The songs are visual:  I see a rubber ducky bobbing about in the bath tub as waves of water undulate erratically. I see a fascination with change, that the contemporary world isn’t steady at all, that we are all vacillating, teetering, confronted with antagonisms, both positive and negative. The album is perfectly titled: we are all oscillating through life!

Along with his 40-year old Czech upright bass, Shane has chosen a strong team of jazz musicians with whom he has worked on other collaborations, such as the Indian-fusion jazz group, BABU. Shane’s visual medium through sound was honed in the Darkroom Collective which sets improvised music to projected slideshows.  “Oscillations” contains the energy of drummer, Kesivan Naidoo; the strong voice of pianist Bokani Dyer; the melodic and bebop styles of tenor saxman, Buddy Wells, and alto saxman, Justin Bellairs; and the flare and enigma of guitarist, Reza Khota.

One hears emotion and uncertainty of purpose, sees the heart wandering, out of focus, watches a little bird free in a big sky, feels the spirituality of First People and of oneself.  Special effects include a lilting marovany (a box of strings indigenous to Madagascar) with cowbells, or the plucking of piano strings covered with pillows.

All musicians have their influences:  Bokani’s piano solo in ‘Destination’ influenced by US Jazz pianist, Robert Glasper.   Justin’s alto in “Drop Down” follows sounds of the UK’s jazz sax/rapper, Soweto Kinch.  Shane read a Japanese novelist’s “Dead Letters”, which conveys lost letters from loved ones with his  upright bass solo holding  together a beautiful ending.   Producer Carlo Mombelli had an obvious say in “Shadowplay” through Reza’s electric guitar resonances.  Kesivan’s drums emulate bebop styles of Wayne Shorter in “Ohriah”.  Unlike the emotional confusions conveyed in this CD, the musicians simply know what they’re doing.

A Pendulum swing is predictable and steady. “Oscillations” isn’t.  It’s true to life.    As Carlo commented: “It’s a CD with one sound, like going to an art gallery to see one exhibit.” This CD is a ride.  Watch your rubber ducky.

Album release is scheduled for 22 August 2013 at Cape Town’s Mahogany Room .  Shane performs at the upcoming August Standard Bank Joy of Jazz in Johannesburg.

30 Jun 2013

INTERNATIO​NAL GUITAR NIGHT - WINTER SERIES 2013

INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT - WINTER SERIES 2013

Produced by Tony Cox

featuring
PRESTON REED USA and JON GOMM UK
supported by David Baudains - SA
Guy Buttery - SA and Tony Cox - SA

Venues
Fringe Theatre, Joburg Theatre Complex
Mon to Wed 1/2/3 July 2013 @ 20h00 - Jon Gomm, Tony Cox, Guy Buttery
Thurs to Sat  4/5/6 July 2013 @ 20h00 - Preston Reed, Tony Cox, Dave Baudains

Baxter Concert Hall, Cape Town
Mon to Wed 8/9/10 July 2013 @ 20h00 - Jon Gomm, Tony Cox, Dave Baudains
Thurs to Sat 11/12/13 July 2013 @ 20h00 - Preston Reed, Tony Cox, Guy Buttery


Outrageously talented UK guitarist and singer, Jon Gomm will appear in Tony Cox’s International Guitar Night winter series at the Fringe Theatre, Joburg Theatre Complex from 1-6 July and at the Baxter Concert Hall, Cape Town 8-13 July 2013.

Adding to the mind-blistering dimension of these shows is the incredible, funk, slapping, tapping, groove machine Preston Reed from the USA. Described as a ‘tour de force’ by Billboard magazine, Reed adds to an illustrious line-up for the 6th IGNSA. The shows guarantee to slake the thirst of any guitar loving fan, whatever the preferred genre, be they eight or eighty years old.


Circling the globe annually, performing in the finest venues and acoustic guitar-based events, Gomm and Reed are luminaries in the acoustic guitar world, each having garnered a massive following.

Jon Gomm, based in Leeds is an acoustic singer-songwriter with a revolutionary virtuoso guitar style. He uses the acoustic guitar to create drum sounds, basslines and twisting melodies all at the same time. His live shows combine deeply personal performances, has a natural wit and a once-seen-never-forgotten two-handed guitar style, that  produces sounds people can barely believe are coming from a humble acoustic guitar.


Preston Reed is a one-man revolution. The 58 year-old New Yorker tweaks the nose of musical convention, pokes the eye of accepted wisdom, and burns the rulebook of the past. His unique style is impossible, unfathomable, unthinkable, as with blurred hands he taps, tickles, slaps and soothes his instrument, fusing polyrhythmic percussion with emotive melody to create a sonic landscape. It is said that ‘your brain fizzes as it computes the musical madness being relayed by your ears’.


IGN begins with a six day run in Johannesburg, and then moves to Cape Town for repeat performances. Jon Gomm will occupy the first three nights of each week. Preston Reed then takes over the latter part of the week.  IGN always includes a strong South African support act and for this series acoustic aces Tony Cox, David Baudains and Guy Buttery feature.


Tickets cost R165 at both venues. There is a R30 discount if you book for both concerts at the same time. These tickets cost R300 per person. This discount does not apply to already discounted tickets of R120 for students, senior citizens and block bookings of 10 or more.


Johannesburg performances are Monday to Wednesday 1/2/3 July 2013. with Jon Gomm, Tony Cox and Guy Buttery and on Thursday to Saturday 4/5/6 July 
Preston Reed, Tony Cox and Dave Baudains.
Performances are at 20h00.

Book through Joburg Theatre Ticketing Call Centre: 0861 670 670 or on line www.joburgtheatre.com - For corporate and block bookings call Happiness on 011 877 6853 or email vipticketing@joburgtheatre.com

The Cape Town season at the Baxter Concert Hall is Monday to Wednesday 8/9/10 July 2013 with Jon Gomm, Tony Cox and  Guy Buttery and 11/12/13 July, Preston Reed, Tony Cox, and Dave Baudains. Performances are at 20h00.

Book through Computicket, Shoprite and Checkers outlets. Call 0861 915 8000 or on line  www.computicket.com or the Baxter 021 685 7880. For corporate bookings and charities at the Baxter contact Sharon Ward 021 680 3962 sharon.ward@uct.ac.za or Carmen Kearns  021 680 3993 carmen.kearns@uct.ac.za

R5 will be donated from each ticket sold to the Kronendal Music Academy who provide music education to the Hout Bay's under-privileged and economically challenged communities.

IGN is grateful for the generous sponsorship received from their sponsors, Fine Music Radio, Paul Bothner, TOMS, Music Connection, BakGat Radio and Rondebosch Manor.

03 Mar 2013

SO...YOU THINK YOU CAN LOVE? with SONIA ESGUEIRA

Sonia Esgueira, star of the smash hit 'Porra' trilogy is back with another cult comedy classic 'So …you think you can love?'. Directed by John Trengove this hilarious new comedy is about dating, denial and the never ending quest for love. It opens at the Artscape Arena on the 8 March 2013 and runs until the 29th. There are two low priced previews on the 6 and 7 March 2013. Performances are at 20.15 Tuesdays to Saturdays.


From speed dating to one night stands and proposing to a gay man, the one thing that Esgueira can teach you is that there's no such thing as too much wine before a first date! Portraying a host of desperate characters well past their sell-by-dates Esgueira stops at nothing to find love, including seeking the help of sangomas, psychics and joining a polygamous cult in India.


An award winning actress, comedienne, theatre producer, playwright and voice artist with a big name and even bigger dreams, Sonia’s sharp wit and observant eye, makes her one of South Africa’s unique actresses that shape-shifts seamlessly from drama, comedy, film, theatre, TV, MCing to voice-overs. She is a consummate professional, with a wicked sense of humour.

If you've ever wished that for once Cupid would shoot you in the ass - then this show is for you!

Ticket prices vary. Previews and Tuesdays R70, Wednesdays and Thursdays R90 Fridays and Saturdays R110. Book through Artscape Dial-a Seat 021 421 7695, Computicket, Shoprite and Checkers outlets, call 086 915 8000 or book on line www.computicket.com


Discounts are available. Less 10% for block bookings. Pensioners, students and scholars (14-18 years) only available at Computicket Outlets with ID. The show is one hour long and there is an age restriction – no under 14’s. Seating is unreserved.


With a history of sold out performances for Esgueira’s previous shows, best to get your tickets now !

CLICK HERE TO BOOK  YOUR TICKETS

Artscape

published: 3 March 2013


"Jazz and freedom go hand in hand. That explains it. There isn't any more to add to it. If I do add to it, it gets complicated. That's something for you to think about. You think about it and dig it. You dig it..." Thelonious Monk
"Jazz and freedom go hand in hand. That explains it. There isn't any more to add to it. If I do add to it, it gets complicated. That's something for you to think about. You think about it and dig it. You dig it..." Thelonious Monk

Hamba Kahle Winston Mankunku Ngozi - Tributes

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