The Tempest: Musical resonances of Shakespeare’s play

Albert Combrink (Piano & Narration)

Where: Erin Hall, Erin Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town

(See Map Below)

When: Saturday 23 November 2013, 8pm  – 9.30pm

R100 (R50 Scholars, R80 Pensioners)

When Beethoven was asked what the meaning was behind the title given to his 1801 Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2,  “The Tempest”, the composer remarked, “Go and read Shakespeare’s Tempest“. This programme will explore this sonata and concepts around Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest” and place it into the context of other works in which similar themes can be read. Scarlatti, Haydn, Mozart and Rachmaninov all explored themes of exile, the quest for balance between civilisation and the exotic, between reason and artistic freedom. Join Albert Combrink as he presents these works in a thematic programme which includes short discussions between the pieces pointing out the extra-musical links.

Albert Combrink (Pianist)

Albert Combrink (Piano) CV:

Albert Combrink performs as pianist and accompanist in classical and contemporary music. He recently returned from touring South-East Asia (Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia) where he performed solo concerts and held masterclasses during the Arts Festivals of Singapore and Bali. Albert completed his MMUS at Natal University and also holds three UNISA Licentiates in Solo Performance, Piano Accompaniment and Piano Teaching (Cum Laude). He made his concerto debut with the Natal Philharmonic at the age of 18.

He was finalist in the National ATKV Music Competition. Other prizes include the UND Performer’s Prize, UND Composer’s Competition, the Young Natal Chamber Music Competition, and the Durban Youth Concerto Festival. He received Master Classes from amongst others, Graham Johnson, Anton Nel, Martini Tirimo, Prof Bernd Goetzke. His recordings include Hindemith’s Piano Concerto Four Temperaments with the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra under David Tidboald, through radio and television broadcasts (including BBC World), works by Hofmeyr and Schnittke with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and was reviewed in the international Gramophone Magazine.

He was repetiteur for the UCT Opera School as well as Cape Town Opera. He was vocal coach for the Portabello company’s Magic Flute which sold out in London’s West End and won the prestigious London Critic’s Olivier Theatre Award. With this company he had the chance to work with BBC’s “The Face of Classical Music”, Charles Hazelwood, and Sir Simon Rattle.

As member of the Cape Town Tango Ensemble he has performed at all the major festivals in the country, with performers and directors such as Mark Hoeben, Ina Wichterich and Marthinus Basson. His work with the CT Tango Ensemble includes two CD’s, El Tango En Africa and Tango Club and has been used on television and in film.

He also co-wrote 3 Arts & Culture Textbooks and Teachers’ Guides for Maskew Miller Longman publications, which have sold more than 100 000 copies.

As concert organiser and accompanist he has worked with a number of South African and international singers, including Prof. Virginia Davids, Hans van Heerden and Virgina Oosthuizen, to name only a few. Highlights with international artists include a concert tour with American soprano Judith Kellock of American and South African Contemporary Art Song. He was also repetiteur for British superstar Lesley Garret on her tour to South Africa and appeared on Top Billing accompanying Welsh Superstar Katherine Jenkins.

Map to Erin Hall, Rondebosch, Cape Town

DIRECTIONS TO ERIN HALL IF DRIVING

From Rondebosch Main Road
– from the traffic lights near the flower sellers and the fountain:
Go up Belmont Road, over the railway bridge, up the hill.
Erin Road is the 3rd road on your right. Turn right into Erin Road.
If you reach the traffic lights you have gone too far.
Erin Hall is 50 metres down Erin Road on the left at the end of the white wall.

From the Camp Ground Road / Belmont Road robots:
Go down Belmont Road.
Take the first turn left. This is Erin Road.
The hall is 50 metres on the left at the end of the white wall.

From the N2:
Take Liesbeck Parkway exit. Go up Liesbeck  Parkway towards Rondebosch.
At third robots turn right into Belmont Road.
Take first turn left into Erin Rd. Erin Hall is 50 metres in on the left..

Parking:
Please park across the road from Erin Hall. If this is full there is parking area on the same side as the hall but further up the road. Please do not park on the Erin Hall side, there are NO STOPPING signs. You will be fined and towed away.

• ‘A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard’
  Act 1 Scene1
• ‘Where should this music be? i’the air or the earth?’
  Act 1 Scene 2
• ‘Hark! Now I hear them – Ding-dong bell’
  Act 1 Scene 2
• ‘Enter Ariel, invisible, playing solemn music’
  Act 2 Scene 1
• ‘the isle is full of noises, / Sounds and sweet airs’
  Act 3 Scene 2
• ‘Solemn and strange music’
  Act 3 Scene 3
• ‘Marvellous sweet music!’
  Act 3 Scene 3
• ‘they prick’d their ears, / Advanced their eyelids, lifted up their noses / As they smelt music…’
  Act 4 Scene 1
• ‘A noise of hunters heard’
  Act 4 Scene 1
• ‘and, when I have required / Some heavenly music, which even now I do…’
  Act 5 Scene 1