Classical music feast not to miss at Linder Auditorium as Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra takes to stage on Friday
Tickets for the concert an International Society of Contemporary Music’s (ISCM) World New Music Days festival, are available through Quicket.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
There is every reason why lovers of classical music in Johannesburg and those who will be visiting the city today, Friday, November 24, 2023, are excited to be heading to the Linder Auditorium in Parktown. The venue itself has increasingly become a prime venue for good classical music concerts, especially in the past two years, and on Friday, there is a special once off concert that any person who takes their classical music seriously should not miss.
Those who have followed this genre of music will attest to the fact that although the world has birthed different genres of music, and thanks to the human spirit of creativity, nothing beats listening to a good classical music composition, performed by a fine orchestra, conducted by one of the best conductors to emerge from this country.
Those who will make their way to the Linder Auditorium today will bear witness to the superior sound of classical music as it fills the auditorium and the audience take it in in total silence. I personally in the past have enjoyed good classical music sounds that fill up that auditorium, turning it into a place of tranquillity and peace, almost surreal. Today’s concert by the Mzansi Philharmonic Orchestra does not promise to be any different. I have attended one of the orchestra’s shows there, and it was pure bless watching the talented musicians do what they do and know best. It felt good be watching the artists in performance, an immersive experience to remember for a long time.
The Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra (Mzansi Philharmonic) will be performing for the International Society of Contemporary Music’s (ISCM) World New Music Days festival concert starting at 6pm.The concert will feature contemporary compositions by international composers, including a work by South African composer Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph.
Mzansi Philharmonic, which is South Africa’s flagship orchestra, will be conducted by Brandon Phillips, former resident conductor of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
The 2023 ISCM World New Music Days (WNMD) festival will be hosted in South
Africa by NewMusicSA, marking the 100th-anniversary edition of this historic celebration of music and creativity. The 10-day extravaganza will bring together over 100 composers from 50 countries, making it a global hub for new ideas, collaborations, and artistic fusions. With more than 70 ground breaking new music compositions performed by an impressive line-up of over 200 musicians across 25+ events, WNMD 2023 will be the most significant assembly of contemporary music ever witnessed on the African continent.
“NewMusicSA has used this momentous occasion to extend our horizons,” said the organisation’s Chairperson Diale Mabitsela, “and we couldn’t be happier with the response we’re receiving. It is such an honour to have the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra perform for us in what we know will be a fantastic music experience, not only for our contemporary composers, but also for South African musicians and audiences.”
“We are pleased to promote contemporary music, in particular music that reflects South Africa’s heritage. Our country has a rich history of music making and composition, and collaborating with artists to bring these works to life is part of our mission. In addition, we are passionate about branding South Africa positively on global performance platforms such as the ISCM World New Music Days Festival,” said Bongani Tembe, the Mzansi Philharmonic Chief Executive and Artistic Director.
Since its inception in 1923, the World New Music Days has grown into one of the world’s premier contemporary art music festivals and has acted as a springboard for the careers of renowned composers such as Mauricio Kagel and György Ligeti. Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph expressed her delight at the collaboration: “As a South
African composer, it is wonderful to have one’s work performed by the country’s flagship Orchestra, Mzansi Philharmonic, on a South African stage with international presence.”
In addition to Zaidel-Rudolph’s Tempus Fugit, the programme will also feature
Colour Sketches by South African composer Chris Palmer, Frostbitten by Voetmann and Suite for Burkina Electric and Orchestra by Ligeti.