The University of Stellenbosch Symphonic Wind Ensemble (USSWE) is once again presenting a Band Extravaganza as part of the Endler Concert Series on Friday 6 May at 20:00 in the Endler Hall. Presented annually, the Extravaganza sees USSWE share the Endler stage with The Wynberg Boys’ and Wynberg Girls’ High Schools Concert Band as well as Durbanville and Bellville High School Symphonic Wind bands under the baton of ex‐Maties Peter Catzavelos, Suretha Theron and Riaan van Wyk respectively.
Pamela Kierman will conduct the arrangements of Bill Whelan’s Riverdance featuring Cameron Williams on soprano saxophone, and Cécile Chaminade’s Concertino for Flute with Axolile Hoza as soloist. Original compositions for band such as Persis (James Hosay) and At Morning’s First Light (David Gillingham), conducted by Riaan van Wyk and Reghardt Kühn respectively, and a composition by Suzette Brits, performed by the Percussion Ensemble, are also on the programme for this exciting evening.
The marching and community band idiom, so prevalent in the Western Cape, and the South African legacy of field bands have created, perhaps more than any other musical medium, the opportunity to involve a diverse spectrum of amateur and professional musicians in an all‐inclusive musical initiative.
Refreshments will be on sale during the interval.
Tickets for R50 (regular) and R30 (students and pensioners) are available now through Computicket and at the door. For more information contact Fiona Grayer at concerts@sun.ac.za or 021 808 2358.
Sunday 8 May, 16:30: US Choir Performance
The Endler Concert Series is proud to present the Stellenbosch University Choir on Sunday the 8th of May at 16:30 in the Endler Hall.
The Stellenbosch University Choir is one of the oldest and most celebrated choirs in South Africa and is comprised of students from various academic and cultural backgrounds, creating an intoxicating energy in the performances. The choir was founded in 1936 under the baton of William Morris. After him various conductors established the ensemble as an influential South African choir. Under the leadership and direction of André van der Merwe the choir has achieved worldwide acclaim at the World Choir Games in China (2010), Cincinnati (2012) and most recently Latvia (2014) where they won with the highest mark in the history of the competition: 99%! Currently the US choir is ranked number 1 on the Interkultur World Ranking List of the top 1000 international choirs.
According to the choir’s conductor André van der Merwe, three of the works on the programme were composed especially for the choir. The works, to be performed in public for the first time, are the Requiem by Sergey Khvoshinsky (Belarus), and the Ave Maria and Parvulus Natus est Nobis by the Hungarian Levente Gyöngyösi.
“We will also be performing a dramatic work by the Capetonian composer, Hendrik Hofmeyr, The Birth of Orc,” Van der Merwe said. This work is based on a mythical story by William Blake.
Lighter works include Toe vind ek jou, by Karen Zoid and Francois van Coke, as well as John Legend’s All of Me.
Tickets for R140 (regular) and R100 (students and pensioners) are available now through Computicket and at the door. For more information contact Fiona Grayer at concerts@sun.ac.za or 021 808 2358.
