TODAY’S CONCERT
SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER 2020 15h00 TATHAM ART GALLERY , Pietermaritzburg
Beethoven 250th - Christopher Duigan (piano)
Presented by Music Revival in association with Tatham Art Gallery, Friends of the Tatham Art Gallery and Friends of Music (Durban)
PROGRAMME
Piano Sonata in E flat major 'Quasi una fantasia', Op 27 No 1 - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Andante – Allegro – Tempo I
Allegro molto e vivace
Adagio con espressione
Allegro vivace
Fantasie, Op. 17 - Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Durchaus fantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen; Im Legenden-Ton
Mäßig. Durchaus energisch - Moderate. Quite energetic.
Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten.
INTERVAL
Piano Sonata in F sharp minor, Op 25 No 5 - Muzio Clementi (1752-1832)
Più tosto allegro con espressione
Lento e patetico
Presto
Piano Sonata in C major 'Waldstein' Op 53 - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Allegro con brio
Introduzione: Adagio molto
Rondo: Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo
South African concert pianist, CHRISTOPHER DUIGAN has been recognised as a 'South African piano icon' (Classic Feel June 2009). He has performed extensively with all leading South African orchestras in a repertoire of more than 25 works for piano and orchestra. In recital he has developed a popular following through his innovative presentation and programming of a broad and eclectic taste in music.
Recent major projects include a tour of six concerts with GIO Orchestra in Spain took place in April 2016 and March 2017. This featured Duigan's own compositions from the albums for solo saxophone and piano, stemming from a highly productive collaboration with Spanish virtuoso saxophonist David Salleras, INDIGO (2015) and MIDNIGHT BLUE (2016). In December 2018 Salleras and Duigan were soloists in Yoshimatsu's 'Cyberbird' for solo saxophone, piano and percussion with the Orquestra des Valles at the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, one of the world’s most prestigious concert venues. They repeated this performance at the Endler Hall for the Woordfees in Stellenbosch in February 2019. The television broadcast of this has been repeated on national TV on several occasions.
In recent months Christopher has established a massive online presence with twice-weekly livestream sessions during COVID 19. Since March 2020 he has reached unprecedented audience exposure internationally with recitals and informative performance sessions detailing his interest in the vast piano repertoire and his enthusiasm for the instrument. These can be followed at his website www.musicrevival.co.za
Christopher Duigan has developed a large following in South Africa through the broadcast of his recordings which are frequently aired on ClassicFM (Johannesburg) and Fine Music Radio (Cape Town). In 2010 he became one of only six pianists in South African history to be invited to be a 'Steinway Artist', joining an exclusive company of renowned international musicians.
Based in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands he is committed to promoting concert performance, both his own and those of others. As producer and director of the widely acclaimed MUSIC REVIVAL (established in 1997) he presents and collaborates on more than 100 concerts annually. Major projects now include a monthly KZN-tour of concerts plus the annual Classic Music Festival in Franschhoek.
As soloist Christopher has appeared in major performances with orchestra including Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 (Cape Philharmonic Orchestra- Cape Town City Hall), Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 and Totentanz (Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra - Linder Auditorium) and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and (KZN Philharmonic Orchestra - Durban City Hall).
Major recital engagements include those at the Brooklyn Theatre in Pretoria, Casa Labia in Cape Town, Steinway Hall in London, in Mexico City and at the National Arts Festival (Grahamstown) and Hilton Arts Festival.
Christopher Duigan began piano studies with Anette Kerkovius in Pietermaritzburg at the age of seven. He continued his studies at the University of Natal with Italian concert pianist Isabella Stengel from age 14, graduating with a B.Mus (cum laude). He furthered his studies at the University of Cape Town with Lamar Crowson and Albie van Schalkwyk, graduating with an M Mus (Performance) in 1994, and later at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester with Brazilian virtuoso Arnaldo Cohen. At the RNCM he was awarded the Professional Performer's Diploma (PPRNCM) and won first prize in the prestigious RNCM Recital Prize for Pianists. In addition he received the UNISA Overseas Scholarship Competition (1994), Crossly/Kramer Scholarships for International Study from UCT, 1st prize and Gold Medal in the Adolph Hallis Piano Competition (1996), awards for the best South African pianist in the UNISA International Piano Competition (1996), Gold Medal in the Pan-African Concours de Musique, and the Cape Town Symphony's prestigious Joseph Lan Award for his performance of the Bartok Piano Concerto No 3 (1994). He has participated in master classes at Dartington Summer School with Stephen Kovacevich and at the Mozarteum, Salzburg.
Christopher Duigan is a Steinway Artist.