Johannesburg Int'l Mozart Festival 27 Jan: 'Mokale Koapeng’s new choral piece, Dipesalema tsa Dafita'

[Mokale Koapeng]

MediaUpdate.co.za

“Mozart's innovative in 2011 JIMF programme

Published: 17 December 2010

The third Johannesburg International Mozart Festival (JIMF) is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg, from 27 January to 13 February 2011.

“With its theme, 'On Wings of Song', the 2011 edition of the JIMF promises to be an exciting tribute to vocal music, and to music inspired by vocal genres. 'I look forward very much to the 2011 edition of the Festival. Not only will we host even more events than last year, but we have many more fascinating intersections. We are interpreting Mozart both in his own works and in a much wider sense, as a creative mind and as an innovator,' said JIMF Artistic Director, Florian Uhlig.

“The 2011 JIMF programme includes two symphony concerts, two choral concerts, three song recitals, two chamber concerts, a piano recital, master classes, the Music and Exile Symposium and various developmental workshops and concerts. The opening Symphony Concert, on 27 January in the Linder Auditorium, will see the world premiere performance of Mokale Koapeng’s new choral piece, Dipesalema tsa Dafita, commissioned specifically for the JIMF. Koapeng is the JIMF’s first composer-in-residence.

“The first Chamber Concert, on 29 January in Northwards House, will see Gabriel Schwabe on cello and Florian Uhlig on piano perform works by Beethoven (Variations on “Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen” WoO 46), Bloch (from Jewish Life), Koapeng (Pina ya Poelano, Rhythm in Chains), Schumann (Fünf Stücke im Volkston Op. 102) and Mendelssohn (Sonata No. 2 in D major Op 58.)."

“The first Song Recital on 3 February in Northwards House will feature soprano Lucia Duchonová and Florian Uhlig on piano, with a programme entitled “Folk Idioms and Folk Songs”. They will perform classics by Dvorák, Brahms, Liszt, Koapeng and others.” “On Saturday, 5 February the University of the Witwatersrand Great Hall will host the SDASA Chorale, conducted by Mokale Koapeng, for the JIMF Choral Concert. They will perform works by Koapeng, Mohapeloa, Seoketsa, Dlamini, Mojapelo, Nhlapo, Mozart, Sibelius and Palmgren.