Wakkerstroom Music Festival celebrates classical music and art
The hills come alive with classical music for the sixth consecutive year in the picturesque town of Wakkerstroom during the long weekend of 18-21 March 2016. The Wakkerstroom Music Festival is a non-profit organisation which aims to raise funds to enable promising music students to further their studies. Sponsors who have already given their support to make this wonderful weekend possible, include the Friends of Wakkerstroom Music Festival and SAMRO. Media partners are the e-tv Sunrise Breakfast Show, RSG and kykNET Fiësta.
The 2016 festival offers music dedicated to romance and nostalgia covering all genres of classical music. On Friday evening at 20:00 on the 18th of March, WMF 2016 will open with a performance by the ever popular Charl du Plessis Trio in the historical Dutch Reformed Church with Charl du Plessis on the piano, Werner Spies on double bass and Hugo Radyn on drums. Their programme Decade features favourite songs from albums like Trio, Pimp My Piano, Shanghai Brunch and Gershwin Songbook. Instrumental favourites come alive with a retrospective view demonstrating what has made this trio one of SA’s most unique ensembles.
The next day offers a wide selection of classical music concerts to cater for everyone’s taste. From a unique concert with two harpsicords played by specialists John Reid Coulter and Jetty de Vries combined with an informational lecture on the harpsicord to Polish lieder performed by visiting Polish artists Michal Slawecki (male soprano) accompanied by Joanna Wicherek (piano); Romantic Piano Trios by Schumann and Brahms with Eugene Joubert (piano), Jessica Bailey (cello) and Valery Andreev (violin); the ever popular Brahms Liebeslieder Walze performed by Antoinette Olivier (soprano), Jana Matthee (alto), Chris Mostert (tenor), Dolf Matthee (baritone) with the piano duo Eugene Joubert and Paul Ferreira, ending the day with a jazz performance Joplin to Piazzolla: The Jazz Story by Four on Six, as well as a rich and varied performance by Dutch Baroque violinist Antoinette Lohmann all the way from Amsterdam, Netherlands.
On Sunday the 20th festival audiences can expect to be treated to romantic arias and lieder performed by bass-baritone Danie Verster and bass Rex Nigrini; Slavic Songs my mother taught me sung by soprano Deirdré Blignaut-Rautenbach and mezzo-soprano Aukse Trinkunas; an adaptation of the Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens with Berthine van Schoor (cello), Annelien Ball (piano) and Linette van der Merwe (narrator); ending the day with the all-time festival highlight, the Gala Concert themed Birds of a feather flock together.
The WMF concludes on Monday, 21 March with an unmatched musical experience provided by organist Riaan Steyn who is joined by saxophonist Matthew Lombard, as well as a flute and piano recital with the second runner-up of the 2015 Wakkerstroom Music Festival Bursary competition, flautist Sakhile Humbane accompanied by Annelien Ball.
This year’s WMF also introduces two new elements to the festival – an art exhibition curated by artists Hardus Koekemoer and Johan van Heerden. The 2016 Festival Artist is the celebrated 82 year old Mimi van der Merwe well-known for her masterly graphic works and deft drawings. Another exciting genre being introduced to this year’s WMF is classical ballet performed by the Youth Dance Company Tshwane on Saturday at 16:00.
Online bookings open on 18 February 2016 and can be made by accessing the Wakkerstroom Music Festival’s webpage www.wmfestival.co.za. As accommodation tends to be snapped up quickly during the Festival weekend, it is advisable to make reservations early. Details can be accessed by the same webpage which also provides additional information about the programme. Any queries can be sent to info@wmfestival.co.za
For comments or more information, please contact:
Tel: Linette van der Merwe – 082 923 1549
E-mail: linette@wmfestival.co.za
Website: www.wmfestival.co.za
Wakkerstroom Musiekfees – ʼn uitstalvenster vir klassieke musiek en kuns
Vir die sesde opeenvolgende jaar bied die Wakkerstroom Musiekfees ʼn luisterryke feesprogram aan in dié skilderagtige dorpie in Mpumalanga, van 18-21 Maart 2016. Die Wakkerstroom Musiekfees is ʼn nie-winsgewende organisasie met die hoofdoel om geld in te samel vir die toeken van die Wakkerstroom Musiekbeurs aan belowende musiekstudente vir verdere studies. Borge wat reeds bydra om hierdie naweek, gevul met klassieke musiek aan die voet van die Drakensberge, moontlik maak sluit in Vriende van die Wakkerstroom Musiekfees en SAMRO. Mediavennote vir vanjaar is die e-tv Sunrise Breakfast Show, RSG en kykNET Fiësta.
Nostalgie en romanse is die oorkoepelende tema, wat binne al die genres van klassieke musiekkonserte tydens die fees, te bespeur oor. Vanjaar se Wakkerstroom Musiekfees open op ʼn hoë noot met ʼn uitvoering van die immergewilde Charl du Plessis Trio in die historiese NG Kerk met Charl du Plessis (klavier), Werner Spies (kontrabas) en Hugo Radyn (tromme). Hulle program Decade bestaan uit glanspunte van albums waaronder Trio, Pimp My Piano, Shanghai Brunch en die Gershwin Songbook.
Saterdag 19 Maart bied ʼn wye verskeidenheid van klassieke musiek in elke genre om binne elkeen se smaak te val waaronder ʼn unieke konsert vir twee klavesimbels met spesialiste John Reid Coulter en Jetty de Vries en Poolse Liedkuns uitgevoer deur die besoekende Michal Slawecki (manlike sopraan) begelei deur Joanna Wicherek (klavier). Gehore kan ook gaan luister na Romantic Piano Trios van Schumann en Brahms met Eugene Joubert (klavier), Jessica Bailey (tjello) en Valery Andreev (viool); die immergewilde Brahms Liebeslieder Walze uitgevoer deur Antoinette Olivier (sopraan), Jana Matthee (alt), Chris Mostert (tenoor), Dolf Matthee (bariton) begelei deur die klavierduo Eugene Joubert en Paul Ferreira. Die dag word afgesluit met onder andere ʼn jazzuitvoering Joplin to Piazzolla: The Jazz Story by Four on Six en ʼn ryk gevarieerde program deur die Nederlandse Barokviolis Antoinette Lohmann al die pad van Amsterdam.
Op Sondag die 20ste word gehore getrakteer deur Danie Verster (bariton) en Rex Nigrini (bas-bariton) op romantiese arias en lieder uit die Russiese en Franse repertorium. Die Slawiese tema rimpel verder uit in die konsert van Deirdré Blignaut-Rautenbach (sopraan) en Aukse Trinkunas (mezzo-sopraan) getiteld Songs my mother taught me. Berthine van Schoor (tjello) en Annelien Ball (klavier) se uitvoering van ʼn verwerking van Saint-Saens se Karnaval van die Diere beloof ook om ʼn hoogtepunt te wees. Die dag word afgesluit deur die populêre galakonsert wat vanjaar Birds of a feather flock together heet.
Die sesde WMF sluit Maandag 21 Maart af met ʼn ongeëwenaarde musikale ervaring deur die orrelis Riaan Steyn en Matthew Lombard op saksofoon sowel as ʼn fluit- en klavierkonsert deur Sakhile Humbane, wat die derde plek in die tweede Wakkerstroom Musiekfees Beurskompetisie in 2015 behaal het.
Twee nuwe elemente word ook tydens vanjaar se fees bekend gestel – ʼn kunsuitstalling met kurators Hardus Koekemoer en Johan van Heerden en ʼn klassieke balletuitvoering deur die Youth Dance Company Tshwane van Pretoria. Die feeskunstenaar vir 2016 is die 82-jarige Mimi van der Merwe wat veral bekend is vir haar behendige grafiese- en tekenkuns.
Aanlynbesprekings maak op 22 Februarie oop deur die WMF se webblad te besoek by www.wmfestival.co.za. Weens die fees se toenemende gewildheid moet besoekers wat beplan om die fees by te woon spring om so spoedig moontlik verblyf te bespreek. Besonderhede oor verblyf en meer besonderhede oor die feesprogram kan ook op die webblad gekry word. Enige navrae kan gerig word aan info@wmfestival.co.za
Vir kommentaar of navrae kontak asseblief:
Tel: Linette van der Merwe
E-pos: linette@wmfestival.co.za
Webblad: www.wmfestival.co.za