Reported by Sergio Tavares
Jenna Bisschoff [above, second from right], Caylin Cloete [above, left], Haileigh Havenga [above, right], and myself [above, middle] (with Prof Tinus Botha, second from left) had the privilege to attend the Stellenbosch International Piano Symposium at the end of March. The symposium was attended by participants and observers from across the country and abroad, with ages ranging from 10 to 78. For its tenth anniversary, the symposium introduced a school and a jazz category, expanding interest and participation.
Apart from faculty from across the country, a number of international piano masters also participated: Leo Gevisser (USA), Emmanuil Ivanov (Bulgaria), Ludmil Angelov (Bulgaria), and Kärt Ruubel (Estonia). The former three presented solo recitals during the symposium that included a wide variety of music. Ivanov performed the complete Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 by Dmitri Shostakovich which was close to three hours of music!
As an active participant, I received five masterclasses with highly esteemed musicians and performed in one of the lunch hour concerts [above]. Being in the masterclasses (as a student or observer), performing in a lunch hour concert, watching the lunch hour concerts of other participants, and watching the evening concerts were all enriching and inspiring experiences.
The Stellenbosch International Piano Symposium is an excellent showcase of South African pianism. Pianists attend it not only to become better musicians, but to connect with like-minded people who share the same love of music as they do. We sincerely thank Nina Schumann, Pieter Grobler, and Sue Patterson-Jones for this incredible event.
