Concert in a Convent Garden 31 Jan. 2016, 17h30 – Springfield Convent: Meet the Artists

 

UCT Opera School graduate and member of the award-winning South African Sopranos, Lynelle is no stranger to the stage. Operatically, she regularly performs locally and abroad, more recently as Julie in Cape Town Opera’s UK tour of Showboat, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, and Saartjie in the award-winning Poskantoor. 2013 saw her making her musical theatre debut in David Kramer’s Blood Brothers, playing both the roles of Mrs Johnstone (swing) and Mrs Lyons, followed by the role of Mattie Allen in Orpheus in Africa, and Maria in the Fugard Theatre production of West Side Story. Lynelle became a TV personality as the runner-up in the Top Billing Presenter Search in 2012, subsequently joining Pasella as a presenter and adding voice over artist, MC and motivational speaker to her repertoire. Her career highlights include performing with Katherine Jenkins, and master classes with Juilliard’s Brian Zeger.

Violina Anguelov (mezzo-soprano) was born in Bulgaria. She obtained her Performer’s Diploma in Opera with distinction as well as Honours Degree in Singing (First Class) from the University of Cape Town under voice teacher Sarita Stern. She has been awarded many prizes including the Adcock Ingram Music Prize, the Leonard Hall Memorial Prize and Erik Chisholm Prize.
Violina has sung in operas and concerts throughout South Africa and abroad. She has performed over 30 leading operatic roles in a multitude of highly acclaimed performances in South Africa, Germany, Bulgaria, Australian and Sweden. Her South African operatic début was as Cherubino inThe Marriage of Figaro with Cape Town Opera in 1999. She made her European operatic début as Dorabella in Cosi fan Tuttein Hanover, Germany, in 2000. Since then she has sung roles such as Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Fenena in Nabucco, Marguerite in Berlioz’sLa Damnation de Faust, Ruggiero in Alcina, Nerone in L’Incoronazione di Poppea, Hänsel in Hänsel and Gretel, Idamante in Idomeneo, Orlofski in Die Fledermaus, Mrs. Roland in the One Act One Woman opera Dark Sonnetby Erik Chisholm in celebration of 100 years of the composers birth, Elisetta in Il Matrimonio Segreto at the Pretoria State Theatre, etc.
Violina has sung for Opera Africa in the roles of Romeo in I Capuleti e I Montecchi by Bellini performed in Pretoria State Theatre and Amneris in Aida by Verdi performed both in the Pretoria State Theatre and Johannesburg Civic Theatre. She also sang in Mozart’s Magic Flute in the famous production directed by William Kentridge. This production was performed in Cape Town Opera House and Civic Theatre Johannesburg. Her latest appearances for Cape Town Opera include her performances in the roles of Suzuki in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Mrs. Patrick De Rocher in Jake Heggie’s opera Dead Man Walking (both in SA and in Sweden), Dinah in Trouble in Tahitiby Bernstein, Octavian in Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier and the title role in Bizet’sCarmen, a spectacular performance celebrated by both critics and public alike. Violina’s most recent appearances have included the role of Gulietta in The Tales of Hoffman by Offenbach in the collaborated production between Cape Town Opera and UCT’s College of Music Opera School as well as Emilia in Otello by Verdi for Cape Town Opera.
Apart from her vast repertoire of operatic roles, Violina has performed as a soloist with great success in many sacred works in and around South Africa. These have included all the major oratorio works by Mozart, Pergolesi, Vivaldi, Haydn, Handel, Elgar, Beethoven, JS Bach, Berlioz, Mendelssohn and Verdi amongst others. Violina has worked as a soloist with numerous famous conductors including Dr. Barry Smith, Arnold Bosman, Chris Dowdeswell, Dr Donald Hunt, Richard Cock, Kamal Khan, Sebastian Lang- Lessing and Martin Panteleev, etc. She has also just had the great privilege to sing with the world renowned conductor Sir Richard Bonynge. She had a huge triumph in 2014 as Queen Elizabeth in Donizetti’s tour de force “Maria Stuarda”.

Aside from her opera singing, Violina is equally at home with songs from the Musicals, Operettas, Russian Folk Songs and lighter cross-over music.

 

Ifriky Tadadjeu started his music journey at the age of 15 as a tenor in “Chorale Notre Dame de Lourdes” in Yaounde, Cameroon, under maestro Francois Junior Ndong. During his first years into music, he mostly learned from books, workshops and other music directors including maestro Reymond Pende and maestro Isaac Sapouma. After about 4 years of hard work, he had learned enough to become a choral conductor, first as an assistant to Maestro Ndong, then as music director of “Choeur D’anges” choir in Buea, Cameroon. While he was quickly noticed as an upcoming music director in Yaounde, he co-founded the still active “Joy Spirit Singers” with his friend, the tenor Geraud Modeste Nlateu. At the same time he developed as a tenor soloist and composer. In 2006 he engaged in competitions and over the following two years he won various prized in Cameroon both as a contestant and as a coach.

 

Riaan Hunter, in a class of his own, has already stolen many hearts with his rich, warm classical voice. He is a member of the famed group BRAVO! This group acquired international status with nearly 150 performances on the island of Menorca (Spain). Because of this success this team now carries on its success in South . What makes the group unique is the cross-over style in which they entertain audiences. It is “pop” to “opera”.

Riaan’s contribution especially regarding the “opera” style, attracted the attention of several record companies The result is that Riaan decided to pursue a solo career and a recording contract with Crescendo Music (Media24).

Albert Combrink: Short Programme CV

 

Albert is one of Cape Town’s busiest and most versatile pianists. So far in 2014 he has performed 120 concerts in various genres from solo classical recitals, chamber music at various festivals from Hermanus Fynarts to the Woordfees, and his work with the CT Tango Ensemble has seen the release of their third CD and sold-out tour for Classic FM Radio in Gauteng after performances at the prestigious Leipzig Gewandhaus. 2014 also sees the release of a Pop/Cross-over album “For the Love of Music”. His classical CD recording projects include 2 world-premieres with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra of works by Hormeyr and Schnittke and he is currently completing a solo CD of works by Chopin and Liszt. He is in much demand as an accompanist and  has collaborated with Neil Shicoff, Katherine Jenkins, Pretty Yende, Arno Carstens and Lesely Garrett.

Albert, currently a freelance pianist, completed his MMUS in Piano Performance from Natal University under Isabella Stengel, as well as three UNISA Licentiates: Piano Performance, Piano Accompaniment and Teaching (Cum Laude). He made his concerto and recording debut with the NPO at 18. Since then he has performed regularly at major centres throughout the country, as soloist and accompanist, in both classical and popular music fields. He was finalist in the ATKV Music Competition and winner of the Young Natal Chamber Competition and UND Performer’s and Composer’s competitions after which he was commissioned to write to first Afrikaans Catholic Mass. He has extensive recording experience, including Hindemith’s Piano Concerto “Four Temperaments” with the NPO and David Tidboald, through radio and television broadcasts (including BBC World) to the recent CPO recordings of works by Hofmeyr, Barber and Schnittke. He was repetiteur for the UCT Opera School as well as Cape Town Opera, performing also as orchestral pianist and harpsichordist in operatic productions. His operatic experience with CPO included international touring productions of “Showboat” and “Porgy and Bess” (Sweden and Germany). He has acted and recorded for the eTv show “Backstage” and “Stokvel” and been involved in various film projects. As member of the Cape Town Tango Ensemble he has performed at all the major festivals in the country.. His work with CT Tango Ensemble has featured in films such as “Tango Club” and “Visa/Vie” and has been nominated for a prestigious MTN SAMA AWARD (Best Instrumental Album). A highlight of his career was a tour of Germany which included performing at the Leipzig Gewandhaus in 2011. He has worked with directors such as Janice Honeyman, Jaco Bouwer and Marthinus Basson. He was vocal coach for the Portabello Copmany, whose production of Mozart’s “Magic Flute” won a London Critics’ “Olivier Award” in 2008, and has toured Ireland, Japan and Singapore. He has also been Music Director and Assistant MD for various productions including the New Space Theatre’s production of Sondheim’s “Assassins” which won two Fleur du Cap Awards. His collaboration with singer Louise Howlett, which resulted in the CD “Night Sessions” and they perform regularly in Classical and lighter repertoire. He is co-author of 3 Arts & Culture Textbooks which have sold over 100 000 copies. He is much sought after as an accompanist and vocal coach, having worked with international figures such as Pretty Yende, Katherine Jenkins, Arno Carstens, Claire Johnstone, Neil Shicoff and Lesley Garrett. He is currently working on the release of his solo classical CD “Campanella” featuring works of Chopin and Liszt.

 

This event is presented by Springfield Convent School, the Rotary Club of Kromboom and the Past Pupils’ Union.  All profits will go towards their respective community outreach programmes.

Watch a Youtube clip of Lynelle Kenned performing:

Watch a Youtube clip of Riaan Hunter performing:

Watch a Youtube clip of Violina Angeulov performing:

Watch a Youtube clip of Ifriky Tadadeju performing:

Watch a Youtube clip of Albert Combrink performing:

Mezzoforte Music will be selling CDs at the event and CDs of all the artists will be available for sale.

Members of the The Stellenbosch Camerata, under the direction of Peter Martens, will provide the accompaniment to our singers.

South African cellist, Peter Martens and Portuguese pianist, Luis Magalhães, won the 2011 Classical Music SAMA for their recording of the complete Sonatas for Cello and Piano by Beethoven. Joanne Talbot of theStrad wrote, “Martens delivers brilliantly incisive and spirited accounts of all these works”

Of his most recent CD, the Bach Cello Suites, Robin Stowell, in the October 2013 edition of theStrad wrote, “Peter Martens’s interpretations are thoughtfully prepared and generally commendably executed, balancing modern performance practices with the simple clarity of period style. […] Martens brings aristocratic poise, poetry and rhythmic flexibility to the preludes. […] His courantes are generally fast and light and his sarabandes are profound and freely contemplative. […] Martens is playful in the gallantries, giving spring to the pairs of menuets in nos. 1 and 2, playing the bourées in mischievous vein […] and injecting the gavottes with a sense of fun..

Peter Martens studied with Dalena Roux at Stellenbosch University, Heidi Litchauer at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and holds a Masters Degree from the University of Cape Town. In 1993 Peter returned to South Africa and occupied principal positions in the New Arts Philharmonic and Cape Philharmonic before moving to the University of Stellenbosch where he currently holds the positions of Director of the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival and Artistic Administrator of the Department of Music.

He is a member of the Amici String Quartet and has enjoyed other chamber music partnerships with Leon Bosch (double bass), Lamar Crowson (piano), David Juritz (violin), Nina Schumann (piano), Luis Magalhães (piano), Benjamin Schmid (violin), Daniel Rowland (violin), Wolfgang Schmidt (cello), Mirijam Contzen (violin), Suzanne Martens (violin), Ivry Gitlis (violin) and members of the Osiris Piano Trio, Amsterdam. Recent concert activity includes the Schubert Quintet with the Brodsky String Quartet in London; several performances of the Gulda Cello Concerto; various chamber music performances with pianist, Leslie Howard; several performances of the six Bach Cello Suites and a performance of Beethoven cello sonatas for the Salzburger Schloßkonzerte with pianist Ariane Haering. Concerto engagements have resulted in collaborations with a number of fine conductors including Victor Yampolsky, Bernard Gueller, Douglas Boyd, Nicholas Cleobury and Jonas Alber. He has participated in festivals in Russia, Holland, Salzburg, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Portugal as well has having performed in the U.K. and U.S.A. Many South African composers have written for him, the most notable composition being the Cello Concerto by Allan Stephenson, which he recorded for Meridian Records with the Cape Philharmonic. He has subsequently given the world premiere of Peter Klatzow’s sonata for cello and piano. His latest CD of the Bach Cello Suites, available from TwoPianists Records was launched in March 2013 with a three-hour recital including all six suites, streamed live from the Endler Hall Stellenbosch.

Peter is now Artistic Director of the award winning Stellenbosch University Camerata that recently teamed up with Joshua Bell in performances of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in Cape Town and Stellenbosch. Together with the SU Camerata, he has performed the Beethoven ‘Triple’ concerto with Benjamin Schmid and Luis Magalhães, as well as with Suzanne Martens, his own transcription for cello of the solo viola part of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante KV 364, which is available from Stellenbosch University Press.

Peter ordinarily plays on a Lockey Hill cello, but inspired by the Historically Informed Performance Practice movement, has recently acquired a Baroque cello too. Thus far, he has performed on Baroque cello with the University of Stellenbosch Baroque Ensemble, Camerata Tinta Barocca and most recently with L’Orfeo Baroque in celebrating Dr. Barry Smith’s 50 years of music making in Cape Town. He is married with two children to violinist, Suzanne Martens.

Meet the Artists: Suzanne Martens

Members of the The Stellenbosch Camerata will provide the accompaniment to our singers, with Suzanne leading the ensemble.

Suzanne Martens studied violin at the University of Pretoria under Prof. Alan Solomon, where she obtained BMus and BMus Hons degrees. She furthered her studies in Holland and Austria under Lavard Skou-Larsen (Mozarteum, Salzburg), where she was also a member of the Salzburger Musici Chamber Orchestra. She subsequently obtained an MMus degree in Chamber Music at the University of Stellenbosch. Suzanne was the winner of the ATKV Forté competition (Now Musiq) and the University of Natal 75th Anniversary prize. Until June 2000, she held the position of associate concertmaster in the now defunct New Arts Philharmonic Orchestra Pretoria and was also a founder member of the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa. In June 2001, she was appointed concertmaster of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra until she took up a lecturing post at the University of Stellenbosch in 2002. Suzanne has been a guest leader of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra since 2005. She is an active chamber musician and is currently a member of the Amici Quartet, the Quartet of Peace and the Lyric Trio. She was also a member of the Rosamunde and Schwietering quartets. Suzanne serves on the faculty of the annual Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival and was invited to Portugal in a similar capacity in 2008 and 2009. She recently premièred the violin concertos of two South African composers, Allan Stephenson (2009) and Thomas Rajna (2010). Suzanne is married to cellist Peter Martens and they have two daughters.