The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra’s Winter Season is here! Join them every Thursday – from May 30 to June 20 – at 19h30 at the Linder Auditorium, for what promises to be another bumper World Symphony Series Season.
Bongani Tembe, the Orchestra’s Chief Executive and Artistic Director, says: “Following the tremendous success of the Johannesburg Philharmonic’s sold-out Summer Season, we are excited to bring another series of world class concerts featuring top international performers as well as the cream of South African talent. We have come to cherish the rapport we enjoy with Joburg’s audiences and continue to work hard to present concerts of the highest calibre – elevating the city and adding to our vibrant cultural scene.
“For our first Winter Season Concert on May 30, we welcome conductor Conrad van Alphen and adored piano soloist Jan Bartoš. Hailing from the Czech Republic, Bartoš is the recipient of a multitude of international awards and scholarships, including first prize at the Zaslavsky-Koch Competition (New York) and the Rucorva Trust Award (the Netherlands). We can’t wait to see him tap into our city’s emotion with every ebony and ivory key.”
Continues Tembe: “Concert two features Durban-born South African Soprano, Dr Bronwen Forbay, who has dazzled local and international audiences, winning a number of prestigious awards including the Fulbright Scholarship Award (2000–2002), the Schollmaier Foundation Scholarship Award (2002-2004), the Meadows Concerto Competition (2004), the UNISA Southern African Voice Competition (2005) and most Outstanding Performance in an Opera, Sam Adams Award, University of Cincinnati (2005) among others. Forbay performs under the baton of our dear friend and accomplished Japanese maestro, Yasuo Shinozaki who is no stranger to the South African stage.
“We welcome the charismatic conductor Daniel Boico to the podium for Concert three which presents soloist, James Austin Smith on the oboe. Another Fulbrighter, James is an artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and Decoda, co-principal oboist of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and Artistic and Executive Director of Tertulia, a chamber music series that takes place in restaurants in New York and San Francisco. He will perform Strauss’s Oboe Concerto, a notoriously difficult piece for soloists to tackle, but one that has moved many an audience around the world.
“Finally, to close this bumper season, we are thrilled to welcome back to our stage conductor Daniel Raiskin. Maestro Raiskin’s regular guest appearances include the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan, Orchestre National de Lyon, Stuttgarter Philharmonikern, Swedish Chamber Orchestra and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. He is joined by the wonderful South African Steinway Artist, pianist Ben Schoeman, who has done the South African music scene very proud with his multiple achievements both locally and internationally.”
Audience members are encouraged to book their season tickets which secures their seat for all four concerts and offers a discount of up to 25%. Single tickets are available via Quicket, while season subscriptions can be purchased by emailing rosie@jpo.co.za.
