NOMBULELO YENDE: SOPRANO

Nombulelo Yende (Soprano)

                                      NOMBULELO YENDE: SOPRANO

Nombulelo Yende is currently a 4th year BMus Opera Degree student at the South African College of Music in the University of Cape Town under the guidance of the notable Professor Virginia Davids.

In her foundation year of study in 2014 she made her debut on the opera stage as a chorus member in the UCT Opera School’s production of Gioachino Rossini’s Il Viaggo a Reims. In the year 2015 she was awarded the Ruth Ormond Price for the most promising opera student and was also part of the Opera School’s production of La Travita by G. Verdi and Le Nozze Di Figaro by W.A. Mozart as a chorus member. 2016 was the year she made her debut as a soloist in the Opera School’s Kaledioscope “Love and Revenge Scenes” performing an extract from G.F. Handel’s Giulio Cesare production as Cleopatra. Furthermore, she was part of the Youth Music Festival later that year. Miss Yende continued to strive in La Serva Padrona by G.B. Pergolesi as Serpina in June 2017 and  performed the role of the First Lady in W.A. Mozart’s production of Die Zauberflöte which was staged at the Artscape Theatre in  November of 2017.

 SALLY MINTER: FLUTE

Sally MInter (Flute)

Sally Minter (Flute)

 SALLY MINTER: FLUTE

Sally Minter graduated with a Master of Arts with merit from the Royal Academy of Music in London where she performed under the baton of esteemed conductors Marin Alsop and Semyon Bychkov.  During her undergraduate degree at the University of Cape Town, Sally was awarded several scholarships and prizes, including the class medal for three consecutive years for achieving the highest aggregate in her year.  She has performed as a concerto soloist with every major orchestra in South Africa and was the winner of the Fine Music Radio Award in 2011.  Sally performs regularly in and around Cape Town with various chamber music ensembles, including her flute and piano duo Avanti with pianist Coila-Leah Enderstein.  Together they have focused on performing captivating programmes and engaging with their audience in intimate venues and new performance spaces, as well as commissioning and performing new works.  Sally has performed with the Cape Town Festival Orchestra for several years and recently started playing occasionally with the Cape Town Philharmonic.  Most recently, Sally was the runner-up in the prestigious SAMRO Overseas Scholarship Competition.  When she’s not performing, Sally teaches the flute to high school students, many of whom have won prizes in local competitions.  Through her teaching and performing career, Sally hopes to foster a diverse and engaging music scene in Cape Town.

LOUISE HOWLETT: SOPRANO AND JAZZ SINGER

Louise Howlett
(Photo: Elzahn Johnson)

LOUISE HOWLETT: SOPRANO AND JAZZ SINGER

Soprano Louise Howlett, originally from England, studied classical singing at the Royal College of Music in London. She came to South Africa for a gap year,  and soon made South Africa her home moving to Cape Town in 1999 where she made her debut with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra at the Kirstenbosch Millenium Concert.
 
Her love of classical, jazz and Broadway led her to create her own unique combination of “Across the Styles” singing projects which she regularly performs with pianist Albert Combrink. 2018 performances include Symphonic Shakespeare with the Cape Philharmonic, and Broadway Blues at Suidoosterfees in April. 

Louise wears a number of ‘hats’ off stage as well as on. A keen promoter of classical music, Louise is the General Manager of the Cape Town Concert Series – regarded as the leading recital and chamber music platform in the country.  She is also Artist Liaison for La Motte Wine Estate and co-ordinates amongst all presenters the Unplugged Newsletter, featuring monthly highlights of the classical performances taking place around Cape Town.  Louise is also a regular presenter on Fine Music Radio. Her programme “For the Love of Opera” features all the latest news and reviews of opera around the world today.

Bongani Kubheka: Bass Baritone

Bongani Kubheka (Bass Baritone)

Bongani Kubheka

BONGANI KUBHEKA (BASS BARITONE)

BONGANI J. KUBHEKA was born and raised in Newcastle, a developing town of KwaZulu Natal province in South Africa. In 2010 he enrolled to study his Performers Diploma in Opera at the University of Cape Town, training with baritone Patrick Tikolo while receiving opera coaching from Professor Kamal Khan. He graduated in 2014 with 4 Distinctions and continued with post graduate studies in 2015. During this time Bongani has developed as a young artist through a number of university productions and collaborations with Cape Town Opera most notably as Figaro in a production of Le Nozze di Figaro. Bongani was chosen to perform with Bryn Terfel during his tour to South Africa and in 2014 he was invited to take part in a short course at Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Programme (YAVA). He has participated in a number of master classes and competitions and prizes include winning the Schock Foundation Prize for Singing, the Ian Renner Competition and the Amazwi Omzansi Competition founded by Njabulo Madlala. He was a finalist of the 2015 Operalia Competition held in London.


Bongani moved to Cardiff to continue his studies with a Master’s Programme in Vocal Studies at the Welsh International Academy of Voice under the tutorship of Dennis O’ Neill sponsored by the Wales Millennium Centre for 15/16 season. During his studies in Cardiff, he has been fortunate to work with the world famous singers, conductors, teachers and coaches. He has participated in master-classes conducted by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Della Jones, Susan Bullock, the baritone John Rownsley and Ryland Davis. Bongani has also received coachings with major conductors of the opera stage like Richard Bonynge, Julian Smith, Gareth Jones and Anthony Negus. He performed as part of the collaborated gala concert between WMC and WIAV which had Bryn Terfel and Julia Lehnzev as guest artists, and accompanied by the Cardiff Sinfonietta under the baton of Mr Jonathan Mann and he performed the Petite Messe Solenelle conducted by Gordon Kilby in Llandeilo. He also participated in 2016 prestigious Stuart Burrows International Competition and won the 1st prize along with the audience prize. Bongani’s most recent highlight was in the role of Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola as part of his last year postgraduate studies at the University of Cape Town under the baton of maestro Jochen Rieder. Bongani also has a keen interest in giving back to the community and participated in a prestigious local outreach music programme “Kunstreffers” which toured around local schools and communities.

 

ALBERT COMBRINK: PIANO & MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Albert Combrink
(Photo: Elzahn Johnson)

ALBERT COMBRINK: PIANO & MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Albert Combrink is a multi-faceted pianist working in a variety of genres: from classical, instrumental and vocal accompaniment, chamber music, musicals, opera, jazz and tango, as well as composer and arranger. Whilst his first musical studies were on french horn and piano, his love of working with voices took him into the realms of accompaniment and coaching at the UCT Opera School, Cape Town Opera and the award winning Isango Portabello Company. He has coached many of South Africa’s great singers and was vocal coach for Brett Bailey’s Macbeth which has received international acclaim. He also ran a performance academy with musical greats Judy Page and Kim Kallie. He is invited regularly to accompany artists on Kyknet, Ontbytsake, Expresso including the international cross-over star Katherine Jenkins on Top Billing. He is Music Director for projects including Concert in a Convent Garden and Dance for a Cure. He performs regularly with local and international artists, most recently violinist Amelia Chan and in 2016 he won a Fiesta Award for ‘Hunkering na die Ses’ which he co-wrote with Lynelle Kenned and Clint Lesch.  He is a long term member of South Africa’s premiere Cape Town Tango Ensemble with whom he has recorded three award winning cds. In addition he also loves to dance tango when he gets time. Other skills include being co-author of 3 Arts and Culture Textbooks which have sold over 100 000 copies. Albert is currently teaching at Springfield Convent.

IGUGU LE KAPA CHOIR (Phumelele Tsewu – Conductor, Zuki Tsewu – Soloist & Co-ordinator)

iGugu Le Kapa Choir

iGugu Le Kapa Choir

iGugu Le Kapa Choir

iGugu Le Kapa  Chamber Choir Resume`

The group was established in 2012.It comprises mainly of Ex-Fezeka high school choir members and has since developed into a chamber choir that has other members with similar singing acumen who were not part of the Fezeka choir.

Some of the members are UCT Opera school graduates and some are professional opera singers who have been part of the Cape Town Opera’s voice of the nation ensemble.

The group performed in July 2012 at the Wales Millenium Center in Mzantsi Cymru’s Torchbearers. It also featured as a guest choir in the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in the same year. In 2013 the group hosted in Gugulethu Cape Town the George Washington University Choir in a concert. The choir also performed in the Ihlombe International choir  festival that was held in Bonteheuwel Cape Town with two choirs from the USA and one other from Bonteheuwel.

In October 2013 the choir performed in a number of concerts around Paris in the South Africa-France season of Festival de Autamne France with distinction. The group closed the year with a touching performance at the UWC’S Nelson Mandela Poetry and song memorial service in honour of the great icon.

The choir was officially launched on the 29th March 2014 in an amazing concert and its new name  ‘’iGugu Le Kapa Chamber Choir’’ which simply means The Pride of Cape officially unveiled. In 2015 the choir also performed at the Amsterdam Festival to greater acclaim.

The choir is under the directorship of one Phumi Tsewu who is one of well decorated conductors of youth choirs in Cape Town. He conducted Fezeka High and won numerous competitions provincially and nationally. Under his tutelage the choir received countless accolades and awards with them.

In 2008 he travelled with his school choir to the UK to sing in the Salisbury International Festival and Wales Millennium Centre. He features in the award winning Film called “Fezeka’s Voice.” He has adjudicated in numerous choral eisteddfods like SA Schools Choral Eisteddfod, ATKV and Tygerberg International Eisteddfod to mention but a few.

The choir was requested by the directors of the Cape Town Opera to represent the company at the Langollen Wales Eistedfodd in June/July 2014 they did this to greater acclaim. This came after the choir performed successfully in the CTO’S Credo which was a South African composed music. In June 2015 the choir sang at the Amsterdam Festival in a concert . The choir is a chamber but it doesn’t necessarily sing chamber music it sings a vast range of music from Opera , Musicals , Choral South African Composed music.

iGugu Le Kapa

iGugu Le Kapa