CLASSICFEEL March 2012

MUSIC ARTS CULTURE LIFESTYLE

TWIGGY

The fashion icon, actress and singer with her ďŹ rst album in 12 years

TRINITY SESSION

Groundbreaking public art

APOLLO MUSIC TRUST

investing in local music talent for 30 years

sting

9 771607 519004

1 2 0 0 3>

SA R32,95 - March 2012

Back to Bass:

the music legend on tour in SA

Š 2011 Nokia. All rights reserved. Š 2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows

and the Windows logo are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks or tradenames of their respective owners.

nokia.co.za/lumia Š 2011 Nokia. JWT 60170

cover story 22

THE TYNESIDE TROUBADOUR From humble beginnings in the northeastern English city of Newcastle, Gordon Sumner, better known as Sting, rose to become one of the most successful figures in popular music. On the occasion

contents of the South African leg of Sting’s ‘Back to Bass’ tour, Classicfeel

revisits the singer-songwriter’s catalogue and considers his stellar and varied career.

music features 28

TWIGGY’S ROMANTICALLY YOURS

44

An exclusive interview with the fashion icon turned actress and

COMING HOME REINVESTS IN LOCAL MUSIC TALENT

singer on her brand new album release, Romantically Yours

Thanks to Momentum, three arts and culture charities, dedicated to music education, received the benefit of ticket sales of the jazz-

32

MUSIC AND MAGIC IN MPUMALANGA

gospel cantata Coming Home

The second Wakkerstroom Music Festival turns this sleepy Mpumalanga town into a ‘magical village’ on 3 & 4 March

46

NAXOS MUSIC LIBRARY We review an extremely valuable online resource for teachers,

34

U R FANTASTIC!

students and fans of classical music

A sampling of the latest CD release by pianist, singer, songwriter, all-round entertainer and MC extraordinaire, Ian von Memerty

48

LEARN ROCK AND POP MUSIC AT TRINITY Trinity College introduces a brand new course dedicated to mas-

36

THREE DECADES OF THE APOLLO MUSIC TRUST Classicfeel speaks to Richard Cock about the remarkable South African musicians whose careers have been given a helping hand by his Apollo Music Trust

tering the theory and practice of contemporary music

art culture lifestyle 52

A TIME FOR EVERYTHING For this year’s winner of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Theatre, Princess Zinzi Mhlongo, timing is everything when it comes to building one’s career

58

ARTIST PROOF STUDIO Johannesburg printmaking studio Artist Proof celebrates its 21st anniversary this month with a major restrospective

regulars 64

THE TRINITY SESSION

4

Classic print

The brainchild of Steven Hobbs and Marcus Neustetter, Trinity

6

News and events

Session has taken the concept and practice of public art to

50

Backstage with tenor Musa Nkuna

new heights

An insider’s look at the world of opera 56

70

ARMORY ARTS WEEK

NAF Director Ismail Mohamed provides first-hand insight into the

In March, New York attracts more than 60 000 art collectors and enthusiasts, all drawn by the annual Armory Arts Week

Artlooks and Artlines ins and outs of arts festivals

76

It’s all fun and games until you fold a protein Mark Strathmore, Operator Business to Business Manager at

72

IMPACT AWARD FOR VISUAL ART 2011: MACK MAGAGANE

Nokia South Africa, demystifies technology 78

The recent ImpACT Award for Visual Art went to photographer

Peter Tempelhoff, Group Executive Chef of The Collection by Liz

Mack Magagane of the Market Photo Workshop

74

Classic chefs McGrath

80

Cinema Nouveau

PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY

82

CD reviews

Whether they are professionals or amateur enthusiasts,

84

Book reviews

photographers tend to amass expensive collections of equipment

88

Encore: Kim Berman, Executive Director of Artist Proof Studio

requiring specialist insurance cover

EDITORS NOTE

World beaters in the making recently attended the final round of the 12th Unisa International Piano

matter of routine! Jokes aside, the competition was fierce and I have no doubt

Competition. While I was blown away by the quality of the performances –

that the local competitors gave their all. There’s always next time.

I

particularly of the winner, Lukas Vondrácek of the Czech Republic, who gave an absolutely electrifying recital of Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini – I couldn’t help feeling a nagging sense of regret and puzzlement

Our story on the Apollo Music Trust forms part of a very special section in this issue, called Musicality, which is dedicated to the topic of music education.

At the end of 2010 we published our first Musicality supplement – an entire

that no South Africans had managed to make it into the top six. Of course, I’m

publication dealing with this vitally important subject. It was so popular that

aware that the standard was extremely high, but I just found it strange that the

we were set to publish another one this month. However, due to discussions

local competitors were knocked out in the earlier rounds when there has been

currently underway to make the supplement bigger and better than we had

ample proof in the past that South Africa produces musical talent that is truly

first planned, we have had to put it on hold for a short while. However, since

world class.

we are aware that many of our readers are eagerly awaiting this supplement,

It was not merely a patriotic impulse that prompted my thinking; we were

we decided to dedicate a few pages in this issue to some of the content we

busy preparing our feature on the Apollo Music Trust at the time, and the long

have planned, to give you a small foretaste of what to expect. In the meantime,

list of incredible musicians who have launched their careers with the Trust’s

please be patient – we will have the supplement out soon.

help was fresh in my mind. One can scarcely find more compelling evidence of

Of course, the real highlight this month, for music lovers of all persuasions,

the depth and quality of the South African talent pool. In 30 years of operation,

is the arrival of Sting. If you are among the lucky ones who have secured your

the Trust, in partnership with Rand Merchant Bank, has supported the studies

tickets to one of the shows in Johannesburg and Cape Town, I hope you enjoy

and training of scores of singers and instrumentalists, many of whom are

(I’m sure you will).

now in demand internationally. Once you’ve seen the list of Apollo Music Trust alumni, I’m sure you’ll understand why the absence of South African

Until next month…

competitors in the finals of this contest gave me pause – with this sort of talent coming out of our country, one comes to expect that world conquest should be a

WARREN HOLDEN EDITOR

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SUBSCRIPTIONS & CIRCULATION

PRINTING ColorPress (Pty) Ltd

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CO-PUBLISHER & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR

The opinions in this publication do not necessarily

Chris Watterson; chris@desklink.co.za

Debbi Gregory; debbi@desklink.co.za

represent the views of the publisher.

EDITOR

RECEPTION Angelina Ramano

Warren Holden; warren@desklink.co.za

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FEATURE WRITER

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NEWS & EVENTS

PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

FIRST SEASON 2012

Wednesday 8 & Thursday 9 February + ( Sunday 12 February – ZK Matthews, UNISA at 3pm) CONDUCTOR Guido Ajmone-Marsan TCHAIKOVSKY Eugene Onegin, Polonaise and Waltz SCHUMANN Piano Concerto, op.54, A minor FRANCK Symphony, D minor PIANO Michael Roll Wednesday 15 & Thursday 16 February CONDUCTOR Guido Ajmone-Marsan conductor WAGNER Siegfried Idyll,WWV 103 SHOSTAKOVICH Cello Concerto, No.1, op.107, E-flat major MOZART Symphony No.38, K.504, D major (Prague) CELLO Anzél Gerber cello Wednesday 22 & Thursday 23 February + (Sunday 26 February – ZK Matthews, UNISA at 3pm) CONDUCTOR Horia Andreescu conductor BARBER Adagio for Strings BARBER Violin Concerto, op.14 BEETHOVEN Symphony No.5, op.67, C minor VIOLIN Mirijam Contzen Wednesday 29 February & Thursday 1 March CONDUCTOR Horia Andreescu conductor LIGETI Concerto Romanesc MOZART Clarinet Concerto,K.622, A major TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.4, op.36, F minor CLARINET Michael Collins Wednesday 7 & Thursday 8 March + ( Sunday 11 March – ZK Matthews, UNISA at 3pm) CONDUCTOR Bernhard Gueller conductor MUSSORGSKY (arr. Rimsky-Korsakov) Night on Bald Mountain RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 2, op.18, C minor SMETANA Ma Vlast (My Fatherland) mvts 1,2,5 & 6 Alexander Lubyantsev piano Wednesday 14 & Thursday 15 March CONDUCTOR Bernhard Gueller DVORÁK Water Goblin, op.107, (Vodnik) PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No.3, op.26, C major BERLIOZ Symphony Fantastique, op.14 PIANO Pallavi Mahidhara (The JPO reserves the right to alter scheduled programmes or artists as necessary) Concerts are held at 8pm at the Linder Auditorium, Wits University Education Campus (formerly JCE), 27 St Andrews Road, Parktown.

The JPO reserves the right to alter scheduled programmes or artists as necessary. Season tickets are available immediately from the JPO. For further information contact: Tel (011) 789-2733 Fax (011) 789-7256 E-mail: info@jpo.co.za Bookings can be made through Computicket.

6 / classic feel

CURATOR APPOINTED FOR MTN NEW CONTEMPORARIES AWARD Talented newcomer Portia Malatjie has been appointed curator for the MTN New Contemporaries Art Award 2012, which promotes young curators and artists who show exceptional promise and talent. In her role as MTN’s current guest curator for this project, Malatjie is tasked with identifying emerging visual languages in the field of the arts, and will select four emerging artists as finalists for the Award.

The MTN New Contemporaries Award is one of our most prominent art projects, and a legacy competition held every two years. The competition promotes young, cutting-edge artists who have had limited exposure, but are poised to be the next leaders in the contemporary art field.

Through this project, one artist wins the much sought-after MTN New Contemporaries Award.

Malatjie has had experience in developing emerging artists, including through her current project, Random Access Art Project (RAAP). A Wits Fine Arts graduate, she previously assisted at the Africa Remix exhibition in 2007. Malatjie has also acted as administrator and researcher at the David Koloane and Mmakgabo Sebidi workshops in 2008 and 2010 respectively; and her first show as chief curator was Blissful Disturbance, an exhibition of works by Wits Fine Arts Masters students at the Michaelis Galleries in Cape Town. This year, Malatjie obtained her Masters degree in History of Art at Wits.

Malatjie will be making her selection of four finalists in March 2012 when the research phase of the project draws to a close. With the assistance of the Foundation in the area of logistics, administration, publicity and funding, she will start work with the four selected artists to develop an exhibition of their works, which will be shown at a premier South African gallery.

CASTA DIVA Boutique Hotel

THE VON WEST AT CASTA DIVA The Von West is a stunning entwining of two great voices, the tenor Dewald Von Solms and the idols finalist Pieter West. The Von West combines opera and rock in a fresh new and vibrant arrangement.

The Von West has just secured a five-year recording deal with Gallo A unique venue, nestled high on the Northern slopes of the Magaliesberg amidst peaceful and tranquil surroundings that offer stunning views and an unsurpassed setting of natural beauty and elegance in an oasis of peace and serenity in the city.

Record Company, and their first record is about to be released at the end of March. It will be available in music stores throughout South Africa. Their live performance includes well-known opera pieces, rock favourites and stunning new arrangements of songs like: ‘All for Love’, ‘Adagio’, ‘O sole mio’ and ‘Menta e Rosmarino’, to name but a few. The Von West sings in Afrikaans, English and Italian. The artists that comprise the Von West are

CHARISMA Restaurant Guaranteed the true Decadent, Divine, Delightful fine dining experience, the perfect fusion between the magic of Casta Diva, fresh ingredients, a dedicated culinary team and the friendliest service of South Africa.

well known to the South African audience.

Pieter West made his breakthrough in last year’s Idols. He rocked the country and the idols judges with hits like Joe Cocker’s ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On’ and Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’. He is a southern-Free State-born talent. His sexy, rough voice and guitar abilities make him a promising new star of the future.

Dewald von Solms is a born star with a charismatic stage personality who has proven to be one of South Africa’s top tenors with leading performances for the Black Tie Ensemble, Cape Town Opera, Opera Africa, The Playhouse Company, Salon Music and the Tel Aviv Opera in Israel. He has been performing at corporate and private functions for the past decade.

Reduced opera opportunities in South Africa have forced him to cross over to a lighter classical music genre, and The Von West is definitely an innovative musical experience which has been promoted by Gallo Record Company.

Hanna Yarmarkov from Hanna’s Productions serves as Dewald von Solms’ impresario. Throughout the years she has managed to secure work opportunities for von Solms as an opera singer (Israeli opera 2009) and as a classical entertainer. Hanna’s aim is to broaden his audience spectrum.

Functions

On his behalf she arranges concerts, as well as corporate and private

Weddings

performances in South Africa and throughout the world. To book Dewald

Conferences Concerts Restaurant Theatre Art Gallery

Von Solms for performances or concerts, please contact Hanna Yarmarkov on 082 550 4608.

Hanna’s Productions, in conjunction with Casta Diva Boutique Hotel, have the pleasure of inviting you to enjoy the Von West concert at the majestic Casta Diva venue at 67 Albatros Street, Ninapark, Akasia, Pretoria on 4 March 2012, at 14h30.

67 Albatros Street, Ninapark, Pretoria Tel: 012 542 4449 | Fax: 012 542 3085 info@castadiva.co.za | www.castadiva.co.za

The price of admission is R100 per person.

1151

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NEIL COPPEN’S ABNORMAL LOADS COMES TO THE MARKET THEATRE At last year’s National Arts Festival, Neil Coppen became the toast of Grahamstown with Abnormal Loads, the stunning work that he presented in fulfilment of his Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre commission.

Theatre from 13 April to 22 May. The critics have been raving about this play, which is based in the fictional KwaZulu-Natal town of Bashford and centres on a mixed-race descendent of the town’s founding father, who is raised by his conservative colonial grandmother, Moira, on a small-holding outside of the town.

After 29 years spent in relative isolation, Vincent begins to dream of an escape. Spurred on by his new friend, Katrien Joubert, the rebellious

Images: Courtesy of Standard Bank

Now, Johannesburg audiences will have a chance to see it at the Market

16-year-old daughter of the NG Kerk dominie, and Moira’s domestic

shift seamlessly from the grandeur of a battle-field in 1879 to the intimacy

worker, Prudence, the three youngsters begin to unravel a series of secrets

of the bedroom in 2011.

and events that connect them across time, memory and history. With a

This must-see play has been heralded as ‘groundbreaking’ (City Press),

narrative that whisks audiences through two centuries of South African

‘breathtaking’ (The Crystal Calligrapher) and ‘a profound and complex piece

history, Abnormal Loads presents a theatrical universe where the past runs

of theatre’ (The Witness). But for all its conceptual depth, it has also been

in tandem with the present.

appreciated for its sparkling fresh comedy and its seamless melding of

The play takes an irreverent look at how history is misconstrued to suit the individual’s needs, while offering a humorous reflection on the many

past and present, of historical drama and contemporary humour. Bookings for this vital piece of contemporary South African theatre are now open.

contradictions and complexities of life in small town South Africa as events

What's on!

1 - 28 February 2012 Photography: Annual student exhibition Centurion Art Gallery, corner Union Avenue & Cantonment Road, Lyttelton Manor Enquiries: 012 382 6133/358 3477 E-mail: artinfo @tut.ac.za 20 February - 1 March 2012 Fine & Applied Arts: Annual Degree Exhibition Unisa Art Gallery, Kgorong Building, Ground Floor, Main Campus, Preller Street, Pretoria Enquiries: 012 441 5683 E-mail: ukun1@unisa.ac.za

21 - 25 February 2012 Drama: Aasvoëls/Vultures Breytenbach Theatre, Gerhard Moerdyk Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria Enquiries/bookings: 012 440 4834 E-mail: breytie@tut.ac.za 20 - 24 March 2012 Drama: Animal Farm Breytenbach Theatre, Gerhard Moerdyk Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria Enquiries/bookings: 012 440 4834 E-mail: breytie@tut.ac.za

Faculty of the Arts e

artsinfo@tut.ac.za | www.tut.ac.za

21 April - 18 May 2012 Fine & Applied Arts: Alumni Exhibition Gallery, Building 10, Arts Campus, 24 Du Toit Street (corner Du Toit & Struben Streets), Pretoria Enquiries: 012 382 6159 or Carl Jeppe 083 2045 407 E-mail: jeppec@tut.ac.za or artsinfo@tut.ac.za 12 May 2012 Faculty of the Arts Open Day Arts Campus, 24 Du Toit Street (corner Du Toit & Struben Streets) Pretoria E-mail: artsinfo@tut.ac.za

Dance | Drama | Fashion Design | Film & TV Production | Fine & Applied Arts Graphic Design | Interior Design | Jewellery Design & Manufacture | Music Musical Theatre | Multimedia (Visual Arts Based) | Performing Arts Technology Photography | Textile Design & Technology | Vocal Art

*HOME OF LIVE THEATRE* For information and bookings go to : www.markettheatre.co.za

David Kramer

FRANSCHHOEK OESFEES The annual Franschhoek Oesfees at Solms-Delta wine estate, 15km outside the main town, is South Africa’s only truly authentic harvest festival. Running at the end of harvest over a full day from 11am-9pm, the 2012 event will be held on Saturday 24 March. It takes the form of a heartfelt ‘thank-you’ to the valley’s farm workers, to celebrate their hard work and bless the year’s harvest.

Each year amateur and professional bands from all over SA, but predominantly from the Boland and Winelands areas, flock to SolmsDelta’s outdoor stage, entertaining thousands of revellers with the sounds of Cape rural vernacular music from Ghoema, Cape Jazz, Langarm, Vastrap and Boeremusiek. Genuine local ‘Kaapsekos’ cuisine is served.

It was in the hope of creating a more inclusive sense of Winelands community with wider access to resources and opportunities for all who live in it, that in 2007 the Delta Trust initiated the Cape music project in the rural Boland region. Fieldwork consisting of interviews with musicians in the surrounding region and more formal academic research into the origins of traditional Cape music was initiated with the aim of using this information to establish a Cape Rural Music Centre on Solms-Delta. The Oesfees is an extension of the Solms-Delta-based Music van de Caab project, which seeks to preserve and develop the diverse musical heritage of the rural Cape.

Complementary admission is extended to the workers of Franschhoek Valley farms, with tickets also available to the general public. The sell-out event increases in numbers year on year – with numbers for March 2012 expected to exceed 4500.

The music leaps between generations and genres. From brass bands, Afrikaans folk, vastrap, langarm, hip hop to Cape jazz and Ghoema – music full of heart, soul and sassiness - the music and performers are all 100% Cape.

This year the headline acts include David Kramer, Theuns Jordaan, Chris Chameleon, Emo Adams, Hot Water, Tribal Echo and Hannes Coetzee who all perform alongside the Solms-Delta Music van de Caab’s homegrown bands; Delta Valley Entertainers, Delta Vastrap Genootskap, Delta Optel band, Lekker Lekker Delta, Delta Langbroeke and the Soetstemme.

More details are available at http://www.solms-delta.co.za/events/oesfees

Images: Courtesy of Cape Town Opera

NEWS & EVENTS

Tenor, John Treleaven, who

American tenor Lawrence Brownlee,

stars as Florestan in Fidelio

appearing in the Bel Canto Gala Concert

Sally Silver, South African-born soprano, returning home to sing at the Nozuko Teto will play Mimi in La boheme

Bel Canto Gala Concert

Cape Town Opera announces its 2012 season Opera lovers were thrilled by the announcement of Cape Town Opera’s

and Bellini – wrote virtuosic display arias for their leading sopranos and

2012 opera season. Ten very exciting productions are set to take place this

tenors, which demand formidable technique and wide ranges from singers.

year, including two overseas tours. The first three productions of the year will be Fidelio, La bohème, and the Bel Canto Gala Concert.

Fidelio, Beethoven’s compelling story of freedom and fidelity, will be

Described by the Washington Times as ‘perhaps the finest bel canto tenor of our times... with a supple luminous voice that can only be described as heavenly’, Lawrence Brownlee has thrilled audiences

staged at the Castle of Good Hope at 19h30 on 7, 9 & 10 March. In May,

around the globe with his radiant tone and seemingly effortless technical

Crouse’s production of La bohème will be revived at the Opera House at

mastery of notoriously challenging repertoire. In the decade since he

Artscape. The new run is directed by Matthew Wild, and stars Given Nkosi

made his professional debut, his extraordinary rise to fame has seen him

as Rodolfo and Nozuko Teto as Mimì. Both of these wonderful, homegrown

triumph at the world’s great opera houses, including the Met, Covent

performers are returning to Cape Town from Italy, where they have been

Garden and La Scala.

studying with two of the greatest Italian singers of the 20th Century: Mirella

The weekend of 11 - 13 May is a good one for opera lovers to be in

Freni and Renata Scotto, both of whom are well versed in the works of

Cape Town. On Friday 11th, you can see a performance of La bohème and

Puccini. Performances take place at 19h30 on 5, 9, 11 & 16 May.

on the Sunday, you can catch the Bel Canto Gala Concert.

On 13 May, Cape Town Opera will stage a special gala concert

All of these performances are accompanied by the Cape

featuring highlights of the bel canto repertoire. American tenor Lawrence

Philharmonic Orchestra, which is conducted by Phillipp Pointner at the

Brownlee will make his Cape Town debut, alongside South African-born

Fidelio performances and by Jeremy Silver at La bohème and the Bel

soprano Sally Silver and Violina Anguelov. Bel canto, Italian ‘beautiful

canto Gala Concert.

singing’, is used to describe a style of singing characterised by lyricism,

Bookings for all of the above performances are now open at Computicket.

legato phrasing and beautiful tone, and a style of Italian opera from the

Be sure to check future issues of Classicfeel for news on upcoming Cape

early 19th Century. The greatest exponents of the style – Rossini, Donizetti

Town Opera productions.

14 / classic feel

Courtesy of The Teatro at Montecasino

NEWS & EVENTS

Jonathan Roxmouth as the Phantom and Robin Botha as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, now on at The Teatro at Montecasino

The world’s greatest love story Broadway’s longest running musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera has celebrated a sell-out season in Cape Town, and is now playing in Johannesburg at the Teatro at Montecasino until 22 April.

Pieter Toerien, who presents The Phantom of the Opera in South Africa in

(Christine), James Borthwick (Monsieur Firmin), Jason Ralph (Monsieur

association with The Really Useful Group, had to extend the Artscape run

Andre), Pauline du Plessis and Hanlee Louw (Carlotta), Angela Killian

in order to meet the massive demand for tickets. The show played to 100%

(Madame Giry) and Thabiso Masemene (Piangi).

capacity during its highly acclaimed three-month season in the Mother City,

The international creative team includes Arthur Masella, Associate

with audiences showing their appreciation with nightly standing ovations

Director; Rainer Fried, Assistant Director; Guy Simpson, Musical

and rapturous applause.

Supervisor; Patti Merrin, Associate Choreographer and Jee Jee Noh,

Having played to more than 100 million people in 149 cities around the world, this full-scale production, directed by Harold Prince, is arguably the most popular musical of all time. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sweepingly romantic score

Assistant Choreographer. For the SA production, Anton Luitingh is the Resident Director and Louis Zurnamer the Musical Director.

The Phantom of the Opera celebrated its 25th anniversary in London

includes showstoppers like ‘Music of the Night’ and ‘All I Ask of You’, and is

last year with a series of sell-out concert performances at the Royal Albert

performed by a stellar South African cast. The Phantom of the Opera tells the

Hall that were broadcast around the world.

story of a disfigured musical genius known only as ‘the Phantom’, who haunts

Worldwide, The Phantom of the Opera has grossed over £3.2 billion.

the depths of the Paris Opera House. Mesmerised by the talents and beauty

The box-office revenues are higher than any film or stage play in history,

of a young soprano – Christine, the Phantom lures her as his protégé and falls

including Titanic, ET, Star Wars and Avatar. It has been seen in 145 cities

fiercely in love with her. Unaware of Christine’s love for Raoul, the Phantom

in 27 countries and played to over 130 million people.

forms a fatal obsession with the beautiful heroine, setting the scene for a dramatic turn of events where jealousy, madness and passions collide.

Jonathan Roxmouth, who took over from André Schwartz in Cape

Johannesburg audiences now have their chance to experience the Phantom magic at the Teatro at Montecasino. Performances take place Tuesdays to Fridays at 20h00, on Saturdays at 15h00 and 20h00, and on

Town, will continue as the Phantom, supported by a stellar cast that

Sundays at 13h30 and 18h30. All bookings can be made through Computicket.

includes Anthony Downing (Raoul), Robin Botha and Magdalene Minnaar

For more information on the production, visit www.phantomsa.co.za

16 / classic feel

RAMIN

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Unisa Music Foundation

Upcoming

Concerts

FIFTEENTH ‘TIME OF THE WRITER’ TO TAKE PLACE IN DURBAN The Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) will host the 15th Time of the Writer international writers’ festival from 19 to 24 March 2012.

Supported by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (principal funder) and other funders and partners, the festival will bring together leading local and African authors, offering a valuable opportunity for the public to gain insight into the creative processes and perspectives which inform their writing.

Evening readings, book launches and discussions will take place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.

Wide-reaching day activities, including school visits and writers workshops are spread across Durban and surrounding areas as part of the festival’s

Lunch hour concert McCoy Mrubata (saxophone) Paul Hanmer (piano) Friday, 2 March 13:00 Dr Miriam Makeba Concert Hall

ongoing effort to promote and nurture a culture of reading, writing and creative expression, particularly among the youth.

For more information on the festival, please contact the Centre for Creative Arts on 031 260 2506/1816 or e-mail cca@ukzn.ac.za or visit our website: www.cca.ukzn.ac.za

LUCKY TO OPEN CAPE WINELANDS FILM FESTIVAL 2012 Opening night of the Cape Winelands Film Festival takes place on March 14, 2012. The festival is committed to providing a window on World Cinema that celebrates past and present achievements in international filmmaking, as well as providing a platform for new voices in South African cinema.

The 2012 festival will open with Lucky, a full-length feature dramatic

Cello ensemble

film about a ten-year-old South African boy who leaves his Zulu village for

Celli Family (Germany) Sunday, 18 March 16:00 Enoch Sontonga Hall

the city, only to find that no-one will help him, except a formidable Indian woman named Padma. Written and directed by Avie Luthra, the film was produced by Out of Africa Productions and How Town Film Productions, LLC. After playing to packed audiences at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, Busan (2011), Bangalore (2011), and Abu Dhabi (2011), where it was featured in the festival’s Waterfront Films open-air theatre. Lucky will have its South African Premiere at the 2012 Cape Winelands Film Festival.

For more information about the CWFF, please go to http://films-forafrica.co.za/

Piano recital Pallavi Mahidhara (India-USA) Saturday, 31 March 18:00 Enoch Sontonga Hall

BRAVO OPERA AFRICA AND ZIYANKOMO A tribute to the best of Opera Africa and Ziyankomo (a One Act Opera by

81,6

Phelelani Mnomiya) will be performed at the SA State Theatre in Pretoria, Tickets are sold at the door.

Enquiries: +27 12 429 3311/3336 www.unisa.ac.za/musicfoundation

10 - 17 March and at the Joburg Theatre, 23 - 31 March. This Opera Africa production promises to be a magnificent evening of vocal and theatrical excellence. Directed by Angelo Gobbato and Themi Venturas, this doublebill celebration of grand opera features world class vocal talents such as Kelebogile Boikanyo, Given Nkosi, Fikile Mvinjelwa and Aubrey Lodewyk.

Visit www.operaafrica.co.za or contact Opera Africa on (011)8834189.

Learn without limits.

university of south africa

Wine writer, Caro Maurer

FLAVOURS THE FOCUS FOR NEW WORLD PRODUCERS AT PROWEIN 2012 Three influential and high-profile wine personalities from the Old World have been lined up to make a feature of flavour in a collaborative series of masterclasses involving five normally competing New World wine producers: Argentina, California, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa.

The three European-based wine educators, two of whom are renowned award-winning sommeliers, will present Flavours - A Whole New World@ ProWein in Düsseldorf, Germany, in early March. ProWein is one of the most important international wine trade exhibitions and annually draws exhibitors from some 50 countries and close to 40 000 delegates. The New World initiative and masterclass sessions will form a show-within-a-show over the three-day event that runs from March 4 to 6.

The Flavours@ProWein presenters include Andreas Larsson, a multiple winner of sommelier titles, including Best Sommelier in the World awarded by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, Best Sommelier in Europe, Best Nordic Sommelier and Best Sommelier of Sweden. He is currently the wine director of leading Swedish restaurant PM & Vänner in Växjö and is also a wine writer and educator. Caro Maurer MW, who was

The record-breaking classical crossover quartet return with their

the first German woman to earn her Masters of Wine, is a wine writer based in Bonn and contributes to a range of leading publications in Germany. She

most impressive album since their

too is a wine educator and also judges in international wine shows. Ronan Sayburn MS, one of just 180 Master Sommeliers worldwide, is a former

2004 debut defined a new musical

winner of the UK Sommelier of the Year title and is the director of wines and spirits at Hotel du Vin, a prominent group of boutique hotels in the UK. The New World masterclass sessions will showcase the wines of the

genre. This is WICKED GAME.

five countries, matching them with foods in a bid to focus on the versatility of New World offerings as viable and also affordable alternatives on wine menus. The pairings will be presented by the trio in a series of seminars.

The intention of Flavours@ProWein, says Wines of South Africa CEO Su Birch, is to ‘highlight what we produce in a fresh and appetising way. This is the third consecutive year the five countries are working in concert. Each year we

Now, in keeping with Il Divo’s determination to embrace new artistic challenges, the journey is set to take another turn.

accent a particular feature common to us all that offers a new way to introduce our best-of-best wines. This year we are raising their food-friendly profile.

‘Wine is essentially about conviviality and enjoyment, and there is no better way to express that than at the table. Each of the five will focus on

AVAILABLE NOW ON CD

their signature wine flavours and use the opportunity to demonstrate their

www.ildivo.com

appeal when paired with both innovative and more traditional foods’.

For further information go to www.flavours-prowein.com.

NEWS & EVENTS

EIGHTEENTH ABSA KKNK PROGRAMME LAUNCHED This year’s Absa KKNK (Klein Karoo National Arts Festival) takes place from Saturday 31 March until Saturday 7 April 2012, in Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo. Although the Absa KKNK remains the première South African festival for theatre and music in Afrikaans, the programme offers much theatre, music, dance and visual arts that is accessible to a wider audience.

According to Programme Manager, Theo Kemp, visitors to this year’s festival can expect productions of outstanding quality in a variety of genres. ‘The Absa KKNK boasts major flagship productions and more than 40 debut productions. The brand new venue, Deurbraak, will also be a highlight, where festival goers can expect fresh, upcoming voices. Nicola Hanekom’s award-winning trilogy of open-air productions culminates with Babbel, which deals with the aftermath of a revolution, another must-see production this year,’ says Kemp.

Music lovers can prepare themselves for Kaktus op die Vlaktes, an open-air rock festival that returns to the Absa KKNK, as well as opera by Janelle Visagie, Stefan Louw, Liesl Stoltz and others, and a programme filled with exciting artists performing on the Huisgenoot Musiekplaas.

There is a strong visual arts offering, with amongst others, Living Things: Handspring Puppets Now, which includes the magical War Horse by the world famous Handspring Puppet Company, as well as a retrospective exhibition by the late painter, Kevin Atkinson.

Mr. Louis von Zeuner, Deputy Group CEO of Absa, emphasised the bank’s continuous support of the arts in South Africa: ‘Absa has had an association with the arts in this country for many years and sponsorships include the Absa L’Atelier arts competition and the popular television programme, Noot vir Noot. The Absa KKNK is a highlight in the South African festival calendar and we are proud to be part of a festival, where a platform is created to bring the arts together and where artists can express their talents. Through our sponsorship of the Absa KKNK we not only contribute to the arts in South Africa, but also to the community of Oudtshoorn and the Western Cape as a whole’.

The programme for this year’s Absa KKNK is available online at www. absakknk.co.za where accommodation bookings can also be made. Tickets are available at Computicket or Shoprite/Checkers.

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Ashraf Johaardien

UJ CHOIR

Directed by Renette Bouwer

60 young students performing a programme of classical Western as well as traditional African pieces with equal finesse – ultimate diversity in sound! See www.uj.ac.za/choir for details.

ALICE WHO? THIS AIN’T WONDERLAND

Directed and choreographed by Owen Lonzar

This all-dance theatre production features music from all genres in a thought provoking piece and tour by popular demand.

“An excellent production all round” (Moira de Swardt, Artslink.co.za). See www.nationalartsfestival.co.za for details.

JOHANNESBURG PREMIÈRE

UJ ART GALLERY EXHIBITIONS

K SELLO DUIKER’S

DRAWINGS

THE QUIET VIOLENCE OF DREAMS

11 – 25 APRIL

Showcasing new works by KZN artist Louise Hall in paint and drawing media, this solo exhibition also explores images of transformation and journeying.

Adapted by Ashraf Johaardien Directed by Alby Michaels Designed by Wilhelm Disbergen Con Cowan Theatre Bunting Road Campus 11 – 21 APRIL :: 19:30

Theresa Edelmann describes this adaptation of K Sello Duiker’s award-winning novel as a triumphal success: “Johaardien invites the audience to witness a contemporary hero’s journey as a young black South African man faces the shadows of his being and emerges as Horus, the mythical son of the sun.”

THE SHAKESPEARE REVUE

SA SHORTS: QUICKIES FOR A MICROWAVE GENERATION

Directed by Alby Michaels Designed by Wilhelm Disbergen

Devised by Christopher Luscombe and Malcolm McKee Directed by Greg Homann Designed by JC Laurent Con Cowan Theatre Bunting Road Campus 15 – 26 MAY :: 19:30

Six new ten-minute plays from and about South Africa in six genres by six emerging and established local and international playwrights. See www.nationalartsfestival.co.za for details.

An enchanting collection of witty music and skits about the Bard including songs and sketches by Alan Bennett, Noel Coward, Stephen Sondheim, Fry and Laurie, Monty Python, Victoria Wood and many more.

RETROSPECTIVE: GERARD DE LEEUW 09 – 30 MAY

Curated by Fred Scott, the exhibition marks the centenary of the artist’s birth in Amsterdam in 1912 and will be accompanied by works of De Leeuw’s close artist friends.

DE MAGNETE

TWO CELLOS AND A PIANO Arts Centre Theatre Kingsway Campus 05 MARCH :: 17:30

Polina Burdukova and Carel Henn share the stage with pianist Kerryn Wisniewski, performing works by Bach, Delune, Tortelier, Albinoni and Menotti.

DIVA DUETS Arts Centre Theatre Kingsway Campus 13 MAY :: 19:30

Aukse Trinkunas and Michèle Corbin perform famous opera duets.

Full music programme including Jazz concerts available from the UJ Arts & Culture website: www.uj.ac.za/artscentre

06 – 27 JUNE

A solo exhibition in which Jacki McInnes addresses contradictions inherent in present-day human thought and behaviour.

RETHINK EDUCATION. REINVENT YOURSELF.

ĪȬȞŬŎɥŎȞĪŎ

Ŏ͟Ǎǖğǖˊ ȬȞʄ

drama & musical theatre

ˆȬ̈ɥ

MARCH – JULY 2012

music

HEAD: UJ ARTS & CULTURE

ACT | UJ ARTS & CULTURE CONFERENCE

Presented in partnership with the Arts & Culture Trust Arts Centre Theatre Kingsway Campus 24 – 25 MAY

Aimed at South African practitioners, the inaugural ACT | UJ Arts & Culture conference will take an in-depth look at arts and culture in South Africa.

UJ Arts & Culture is a leading performing arts producer, training facility and receiving house which offers a diverse range of programmes, training and community outreach projects on all four UJ campuses. The UJ Arts Centre, designed by the renowned architect Jeremy Rose, is located on the Kingsway Campus and comprises an art gallery, a 436-seater state of the art theatre, dance studios and choir rooms. The gallery specialises in contemporary South African and international art. Other UJ Arts & Culture venues include the intimate Experimental Theatre on the Kingsway Campus and the 150-seater Con Cowan Theatre and dance studios on the Bunting Road Campus. Unless otherwise stated, tickets are available from Computicket. Details subject to change without notification.

For more information please visit www.uj.ac.za/artscentre Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

PHOTO :: JAN POTGIETER

“I love theatre. But music, musicals, dance and the visual arts have all been former lovers and it has been wonderful to rekindle those old flames in a broad-based programme covering key arts disciplines. With compelling new South African drama, outstanding dance, musical theatre, world-class music concerts and awe-inspiring exhibitions for the first semester, UJ Arts & Culture truly has something for everyone.“

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The Tyneside Troubadour From humble beginnings in the northeastern English city of Newcastle, Gordon Sumner, better known as Sting, rose to become one of the most successful figures in popular music, excelling in the rock, pop, jazz, New Age and even classical genres.

On the occasion of the South African leg of Sting’s ‘Back to Bass’ tour, Classicfeel’s Warren Holden revisits the singer-songwriter’s catalogue and considers his stellar and highly varied career.

classic feel / 23

n 1977, at the height of the movement in popular music that was

social conscience (‘Children’s Crusade’ and ‘We Work the Black Seam’)

known as New Wave, a three-man band calling themselves The Police

and literary references (‘Moon Over Bourbon Street’ – a nod to Anne Rice’s

first appeared in clubs around London. Fronting them was a 26-year-

Interview With the Vampire). Although polished and elegant, The Dream of

old former schoolteacher from Newcastle upon Tyne with a distinctive

Blue Turtles is clearly a self-conscious effort to gain credibility and respect

voice and jazz-influenced bass style. Over the next six or seven years,

as a genuine music artist rather than a pop star. Through his later releases,

I

the trio rose to superstar status, certainly as a result of their collective

Sting became progressively more confident and less concerned with what

effort, but due in no small part to the individual talent and personality of

the critics thought, and it was then that his status as a great contemporary

their frontman. Born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, the charismatic

songwriter would become entrenched.

lead singer was known by friends, family and fans by a moniker he picked

In creating material for his second album, Sting was influenced by two

up as result of a yellow and black striped, distinctly bee-like jersey that he

major events in his life: the first was the death of his mother in 1986, and the

regularly wore in his younger days.

second was his participation in the Conspiracy of Hope Tour – a fundraising

By the time The Police unofficially disbanded in 1984, the simple yet potent monosyllabic pseudonym of their lead singer had become a household name. He developed an unmistakable songwriting style marked by thoughtful, poetic and literary lyrics and an easy, experimental blend of rock, reggae and jazz. As he embarked on a solo career from the mid-80s onwards, his work was driven by a need to develop his particular brand of musical fusion and lyrical depth even further. With each successive album, he has proved himself to be far more than a rock star. He is a poet and a serious student of music, whose work deeply examines each style or tradition that takes his interest – whether

“HE DEVELOPED AN UNMISTAKABLE SONGWRITING STYLE MARKED BY THOUGHTFUL, POETIC AND LITERARY LYRICS AND AN EASY, EXPERIMENTAL BLEND OF ROCK, REGGAE AND JAZZ”

contemporary or historical; commercial or folk; dabbling in African and MiddleEastern sounds or proudly drawing on his English roots; playing with a rock

effort for Amnesty International. In the course of this tour, he met people

trio, a jazz quartet, an ensemble of traditional instruments or a full orchestral

who had been victims of war and political repression in South America. As a

backing. Regardless of his commercial success or superstar status, he seems

result of these two influences, much of the material on the finished album,

to be, at heart, like a troubadour or minstrel of old, traveling from place to place

…Nothing Like the Sun (1987) had a rather lachrymose and contemplative

absorbing the sounds and cultures he finds and incorporating them into his

tone. It included three of Sting’s better-known songs: ‘Fragile’, ‘They Dance

own songs – an artist who is both very much a product of his homeland and, at

Alone’, and ‘Englishman in New York’. Despite its serious subject matter,

the same time, a citizen of the world. Finally, in the latest development of his

…Nothing Like the Sun is free of the ambition and pretension of its

career, which now brings him to South Africa, he has gone ‘Back to Bass’, to

predecessor; its sentiments have an air of genuineness and the music is

prove that, even with all his artistic and almost scholarly musical interests, he

subtle and understated, suggesting an artist approaching maturity.

hasn’t forgotten how to rock.

In 1985, a year after The Police had begun an indefinite, unannounced

One of Sting’s more accomplished efforts is his third release, which is the work of an artist who had developed his abilities to the extent that he was able

hiatus, Sting released his first solo album, The Dream of Blue Turtles, a

to sustain a theme and mood over an entire album. The Soul Cages (1991) is a

result of the frustration he felt – shared by his bandmates, Andy Summers

concept album dealing with the death of Sting’s father, a quiet meditation on

and Stewart Copeland – at operating within the confines of The Police. He

mortality and loss. Written after a lengthy period of writer’s block that followed

put together an ensemble made up of jazz musicians – Branford Marsalis

Sting’s bereavement, The Soul Cages is essentially an exorcism of the artist’s

(saxophone), Omar Hakim (drums), Darryl Jones (bass), and Kenny Kirkland

grief. As one would expect from such a work, it is extremely introspective by

(keyboards) – and recorded a set of songs designed to put himself across

nature. Aside from hits like ‘All This Time’, the album is not as accessible as

as a ‘serious’ composer and musician. The album showed Sting’s efforts

either of its predecessors, largely because much of it comes from so deep

to move beyond pop music by playing with jazz and worldbeat. Lyrically, it

inside Sting and speaks so directly to his own issues. Despite this, its overall

incorporated most of his signature preoccupations: love and relationships

musical feel has a more finessed, commercial feel. The jazz and worldbeat

(‘If You Love Somebody Set Them Free’, ‘Fortress Around Your Heart’),

sounds of the previous two albums are barely to be heard at all.

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“HE IS A POET AND A SERIOUS STUDENT OF MUSIC, WHOSE WORK DEEPLY EXAMINES EACH STYLE OR TRADITION THAT TAKES HIS INTEREST – WHETHER CONTEMPORARY OR HISTORICAL; COMMERCIAL OR FOLK; DABBLING IN AFRICAN AND MIDDLEEASTERN SOUNDS OR PROUDLY DRAWING ON HIS ENGLISH ROOTS; PLAYING WITH A ROCK TRIO, A JAZZ QUARTET, AN ENSEMBLE OF TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS OR A FULL ORCHESTRAL BACKING.” classic feel / 25

With Ten Summoner’s Tales, released in 1993, Sting turned away

wanted. On Brand New Day he did just that and the results are hugely

from the introspection and sad meditation of the previous two albums. Its

satisfactory. There are no heavy messages to get across, no ‘red thread’

title is both a pun on Sting’s surname and a Chaucer reference. But most

tenuously trying to hold the whole thing together. It is simply a well-made,

importantly, it indicates that the album is a collection of separate, unrelated

thoroughly enjoyable collection of songs.

songs, distinguishing it from the conceptual and lyrical conceits of the

Sacred Love came in 2003 and is, up to this point, the last studio

previous releases. The mood is lighter and brighter than The Soul Cages and

album of new material that Sting has produced. The album featured a

shows the singer in a more relaxed mood than on any of his previous efforts.

number of interesting collaborations, such as ‘Whenever I Say Your Name’,

The album includes some of the his finer and most popular moments: ‘If I

an award-winning duet with R&B singer Mary J. Blige. Other than that,

Ever Lose My Faith In You’, ‘Fields of Gold’, ‘Love is Stronger Than Justice’

the album made little impact. After this, Sting took a fascinating change

and ‘It’s Probably Me’. Ten Summoner’s Tales might be regarded as marking

of direction – one that enabled him to explore the musical history of his

the start of Sting’s mature period because it showcases an artist completely

home country. Signing up to Deutsche Grammophon, Sting successfully

at ease with himself, his voice and his work.

crossed over into the classical market. His first release on the label was

These four high-profile records were followed by a particularly

Songs From the Labyrinth (2006) – the first album Sting had ever made that

unpretentious, low-key work. On Mercury Falling (1996), Sting seemed to

did not feature any of his original compositions. Recorded with Bosnian

be moving away from the jazz-inspired rock with which he had established

lutenist Edin Karamazov, Songs From the Labyrinth was a recording of

his career and going into soft pop, adult contemporary territory. The result

songs by English Renaissance composer John Dowland (1563 - 1626). He is

is a well produced but ultimately, in comparison to his previous work,

best remembered as a great composer of music for the lute and guitar and

rather unremarkable album. With Brand New Day (1999), Sting came

as a writer of melancholy ballads.

back into form. A very effective blending of pop/rock and world music,

Sting’s liner notes for Songs From the Labyrinth tell the story of the

this Grammy winning album includes the hit single, ‘Desert Rose’, which

long gestation of this album. Although one might see parallels between

featured Algerian singer Cheb Mami as a guest vocalist. By the time Sting

Sting’s music and Dowland’s – they are both possessed of a certain

made Brand New Day, he was so firmly entrenched in popular culture that

brooding melancholy, typical of English music both prior to the jingoism

there was really nothing for him to prove. He could relax and do what he

of the age of empire and after the devastation of the two world wars –

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they are in fact worlds apart. Sting had fallen upon the idea of recording

(2010) was Sting’s final release on Deutsche Grammophon and a

Dowland’s work some 20 years before he finally got around to it. In the

companion piece to the tour of the same name. The line-up included Sting

meantime, he was presented with a beautiful lute with a labyrinth design

classics, such as ‘Englishman in New York’, ‘Every Little Thing She Does

inlay and he took lessons from a Swiss voice teacher who helped him

is Magic’ and ‘Roxanne’, reworked with lush, symphonic arrangements

master the pitch precision and octave runs needed to perform songs of

courtesy of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

English Renaissance minstrelsy. For anyone with an interest in English

In his next move, Sting continues on the retrospective path but has

music or the European musical tradition as a whole, Songs From the

now gone off in entirely the opposite direction. Twenty-five years after his

Labyrinth is really essential listening.

solo career began in earnest, he has now opted to recall and rework his

Songs From the Labyrinth was followed by If On a Winter’s Night

solo recordings not with full orchestral arrangements, but with a stripped

(2009), a selection of beautiful – if typically austere – renderings of

down rock ensemble. Called ‘Back to Bass’, this project has taken the form

traditional Christmas songs, recorded after a brief but successful Police

of a world tour, which will bring the music legend to our own shores. At

reunion. Following in the trend set by Songs From the Labyrinth, the album

the same time, Universal Music has released two new ‘best of’ packages.

is made up of traditional English folk madrigals. It is certainly very different

Sting: 25 Years is a 3CD+DVD set collecting all the best tracks from his

to most holiday albums. As its title suggests, If On a Winter’s Night paints

solo albums. The Best of 25 Years is the condensed, 2CD version. What

a rather bleak, snowy landscape, dealing with the deprivations of winter

this retrospective allows, aside from an opportunity for South African fans

rather than with the ‘tidings of comfort and joy’ that are their antidote. It

to finally see an artist they have long admired, is an opportunity to take

was perhaps Sting’s aim to challenge the commercialism and superficial

a fresh look at the entire body of work of this artist, who, whether you

greeting card cheer with which we now associate Christmas so as to

love or hate his music, has proven himself to be among the most popular,

highlight its ‘true’ meaning. The songs – severe, even monastic in tone –

creatively fertile, varied and accomplished musicians of the late 20th and

do provoke mental images of icy winter scenes but the effect is not quite

early 21st Centuries.

as bleak and without comfort as some reviewers have said.

On his next album, Sting finally returned to his own compositions,

Sting will perform at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg on 24 and 25 March, and at Grand Arena, Grand West, Cape Town on 27 and 28

taking selections from his entire catalogue – including both Police and solo

March. At the time of going print, tickets were available at Computicket

work – and performing them with a full orchestral backing. Symphonicities

and selling fast. CF

classic feel / 27

Images: Courtesy of EMI Music

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Twiggy’s Romantically Yours Twiggy is best known to most people primarily as a fashion icon who almost single-handedly defined the ‘look’ of the 1960s. However, she has proven herself to be far more versatile than that. From 1970 onwards, she fearlessly ventured into acting and singing and distinguished herself in both fields. Now, 41 years after she first tried her hand at singing, she has released a brand new studio album, Romantically Yours. Classicfeel’s Warren Holden spoke to her about the new record.

classic feel / 29

A

lthough we all aspire to both variety and accomplishment in our professional lives, few of us manage to acquire both.

Then there are those lucky individuals who are able, not only to change paths with bewildering ease, but also to walk each new path successfully. British fashion icon Twiggy is

one such anomaly. In 1966, she rocketed to fame as what Vogue called

‘an extravaganza that makes the look of the 60s’. Launched into public view virtually by accident when a fashion journalist spotted photographs of her in a London hair salon, Twiggy quickly became an international phenomenon. She was in demand in the United Kingdom, USA, France and Japan and was able to ask previously unheard of fees for photo shoots.

For a long time after she appeared on the scene, young women would be getting boyishly short hairstyles, donning long false eyelashes and taking drastic measures to acquire waifish figures to which they were not naturally predisposed – all in a bid to emulate Twiggy’s look. Her image became the standard against which style and beauty were measured.

Four years after she shot to stardom, while she was still at the pinnacle of the fashion industry, the 20-year-old Twiggy made the decision to retire from modeling. To everyone’s surprise, including her own, she decided to make a go of a career in acting and singing, beginning with a lead role in director Ken Russell’s film adaptation of the hit West End musical The Boy Friend. Looking back, what really drove her decision was simply a desire for variety. ‘If you’re doing the same thing day in and day out, then it becomes tedious,’ she says. ‘Where I’ve been very fortunate in my life is that I’ve been given the chances to do lots of different things.

When I started modeling in 1966, I had no idea that I would ever do a film or act or sing or do any of those things.’

She credits Russell with triggering her change in direction. ‘He turned my life around really,’ she says. ‘He became my mentor and he really just changed my whole outlook on what I wanted to do with my life. I owe him a great debt of gratitude.’ Although she was nervous about taking the leap onto the silver screen, she had the wisdom to know that she would regret passing up such an opportunity. ‘When Ken first offered me the part, I thought he was mad. But because he had such confidence and such faith in me, I felt that I had to go through with it because I didn’t want to let him down. I thought, “Well, if he thinks I can do it, maybe he’s right”. And wouldn’t I have been a fool to say I wouldn’t do it?’

The Boy Friend was released in 1971 and was extremely successful in the United Kingdom despite performing very modestly on the other side of the Atlantic. Twiggy garnered two Golden Globes for her performance – one for Best Newcomer and one for Best Actress (musical/ comedy). As a result of this successful venture, she was firmly set on a career on stage, screen and record, which she still follows to this day. She has appeared in 18 films (admittedly not with as much success as her turn in The Boy Friend) and 19 television shows. Between 1983 and 1985, she starred in the hit Broadway show, My One and Only, a musical built around the songs of George and Ira Gershwin, co-starring and choreographed by American Broadway star Tommy Tune. She has also released several albums, the latest of which, Romantically Yours, was released at the end of 2011.

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TWIGGY

Romantically Yours, as the title makes clear, is a collection of romantic songs, which have been hand-picked by Twiggy herself, and spans several genres and eras. ‘When we had our first meeting about it,’ she says, ‘it was initially supposed to be made up of period standards from the 20s, 30s and 40s. Then I started thinking about all the romantic songs that I love from later periods. So the mix changed a little, but what holds it all together is that these are all romantic songs.’ The songs are well chosen to suit her vocal range and to showcase her under-recognised singing abilities.

The stunning opener is ‘Waterloo Sunset’, originally a hit for the Kinks in 1967. It is an appropriate song to be sung by a born and bred Londoner like Twiggy; in 2004, London FM listeners voted it the Greatest Song About London. This is followed by the Rodgers and Hart standard ‘Blue Moon’ and two classic 1980s love songs – Richard Marx’s ‘Right Here Waiting’ and Bryan Adams’ ‘Heaven’. Next, Twiggy gives a nod to her old friends the Gershwin brothers with ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ and ‘They Can’t Take That Away From Me’. Next, oddly enough, is Janis Ian’s ode to awkward teen ‘ugly ducklings’, ‘At Seventeen’. This is a strange choice for someone who was an international beauty icon at the age of 17, but Twiggy’s delivery of the song is nevertheless sweet, heartfelt and authentic. Next is another easy listening standard, Ray Noble’s ‘The Very Thought of You’, followed by ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’ from the Rodgers and Hart musical Pal Joey. Neil Young’s ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ brings us back into rock ballad territory.

This is followed by ‘Angel of the Morning’, and Rodgers and Hart’s ‘My Funny Valentine’ finishes off the set.

The album is augmented by three guest appearances. Richard Marx duets with Twiggy on his own composition, ‘Right Here Waiting’; Bryan Adams plays guitar on ‘Heaven’ and Twiggy’s daughter, Carly Lawson joins her mother on ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’.

Produced by James MacMillan, who built his career as a session trumpeter for several jazz and easy listening artists, such as Sade, Romantically Yours is a light and unassuming album. Twiggy and her collaborators have not set out to impress anyone or to break any boundaries but merely to record a set of songs that they happen to love.

The result is an enjoyable, laid back and nostalgic album.

As one might expect from someone who has managed to sustain a long and varied career, Twiggy exudes an air of quiet confidence and contentment, of someone who has nothing to prove to anyone and who continues to work only at what she loves. When asked what she would still like to do in her life, she jokingly remarks that she has no aspirations to leap out of any planes or go bungee jumping or anything like that. She spends most of her time running the fashion line that she and her husband co-own. New recordings and television appearances seem to be things that she does when the opportunity arises, primarily just for the fun of it.

Romantically Yours, her first album in 12 years, came about as a result of a call she received from EMI asking how she felt about going back into the studio after all that time. ‘Of course I jumped at the chance,’ she says, ‘because I love singing and I love to record. It was just a very nice, light project to get involved in and it was a very happy experience.’ CF

classic feel / 31

Music and magic in

Mpumalanga Pretoria Boys High Dixie Band

Pianist Peter Cartwright

A year ago, the inaugural Wakkerstroom Music Festival (or Arts Festival as it was then known) was held, turning this quiet Mpumalanga town into what Festival Director Rona Sonnenberg describes as a ‘magical village’. Thanks to this initial success, Sonnenberg and her team are holding the second festival on the 3 & 4 March, and nursing high aspirations for the Festival’s future.

‘Everybody had this strange feeling that we had somehow created a magical

guitar. This was exactly the sort of thing I wanted. I wanted the artists and

village for the duration of that weekend,’ says Rona Sonnenberg, Director of

the audiences to work together, to talk to each other.’

the Wakkerstroom Music Festival, recalling her experience of the inaugural

The gala concert, held in the town’s NG Church, took things in the

run of the festival. The events that took place over the course of the three-

opposite direction. ‘We were expecting around 250 people but as it turned

day weekend in March 2011 surpassed the expectations of all involved.

out on the day, around 450 crowded into the church. All in all, I think the

Sonnenberg’s aim had been to create an environment in which musicians

general feeling was one of amazement that a little burg like Wakkerstroom

and audiences could form a symbiotic interaction and this is exactly what

was able to pull something like this off. Yes, I did learn a couple of things.

happened, especially at the smaller, more intimate concerts. ‘I went into one

I had too many concerts, so this year I’ve trimmed back a bit on the number

of the venues where Tessa Ziegler was playing,’ she says, ‘and there was

of performances. Because there were a few too many concerts, there

Tessa sitting on the floor with people gathered around, talking about her

weren’t enough bums on seats at some of them – not that that mattered to

32 / classic feel

the musicians – they were willing to play whether there was a full house

Lastly, the 80-voice Mpumalanga Youth Choir is opening the Festival on the

or only 20 people in the audience. I think they really loved the intimacy of

morning of Saturday 3 March. The masters of ceremony at the gala concert,

the smaller audiences. I also found that we needed more eating places.’ So

which takes place on that evening, are none other than South African music

this year, the number of concerts has been scaled down while the catering

industry luminaries Mimi Coertse and Weiss Doubell.

has been increased to meet the needs of festival-goers.

The JD Group, which supported the Festival last year, is back on board

Education was always foremost in Sonnenberg’s mind when she devised the Festival – whether in the form of teaching classical music

this year. Unisa, Distell and Rawdon and Associates have also pledged

appreciation to people unfamiliar with the art form or finding a way for

their support. Help has also come from another quarter – in this case,

a talented young musician to further his or her studies. ‘I decided that if

Lincoln Bros in Johannesburg. Whereas last year all of the pianos used in

we ever made any money from the Festival, I wanted to put it towards

the Festival were gathered from Wakkerstroom households – and some of

bursaries for young musicians,’ Sonnenberg says. I’ve spoken to the dean

them were true antiques – this year Lincoln Bros are carting a truckload

at Wits University and asked him what kinds of bursaries are available. So

of pianos, including two grands and four uprights, from Johannesburg to

the hope is that soon we will be able to give money to an up-and-coming

Wakkerstroom and back.

youngster. We will approach universities to set up performances for us by

So what can festival-goers expect this year? ‘Well of course all the musicians who were here last year wanted to come back but I had to make some changes. I couldn’t have the same programme as last year,’

young musicians they would consider likely candidates, then one or two of these will get the benefits of the Wakkerstroom concerts.’

Sonnenberg’s hopes for the future of the Festival are firstly that

Sonnenberg says. One of the ways in which she has gone about freshening

she might one day have the resources to bring well-known international

up the programme is by booking a line-up of very young musicians. The

performers to Wakkerstroom, and secondly, to find a major sponsor who

youngest are the two violinists, Neo Motsatse (11) and Jonathan Meyer

may consider taking on the naming rights of the Festival. This would not

(16), while 18-year-old violinist and pianist Jemma Thorburn demonstrates

only help the Festival to gain greater status and recognition but would also

her talents on both her instruments.

give Sonnenberg a chance to free herself from the administrative aspects

Among the more established musicians are Malcolm Nay (piano), Zanta

of the festival and concentrate on the creative side. Many other arts and

Hofmeyr (violin), organist/ pianist Dianne Coutts, flautist Helen Vosloo, formerly

music festivals, which we now take for granted as fixtures of the national

of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and pianist Olga Tsihelashvili.

cultural calendar, grew from the same small beginnings as this one, and

In total, around 27 soloists are performing. They will be joined by four groups.

there is no reason why the passion and determination of Sonnenberg

Grandi Amici – four voices and a pianist – are giving two performances, one a

and her team should not also reap the rewards that these other events

selection of French music, ranging from Romantic opera to the era of Edith Piaf

have. Time will tell whether they will in fact do so. In the meantime it is

and the other a selection of operatic excerpts that have been made famous

enough to know that the cause of classical music in South Africa is being

through their use in movies. Tenors Sandile Mabaso (from Durban) and Gareth

powerfully championed even in the country’s far flung rural corners.

Witten (from Cape Town) will also stun festival goers with their vocal prowess.

For more information on the Wakkerstroom Arts Festival, contact Rona

The Pretoria Boys High School Dixie Band and the Number One Medical

Sonnenberg on 017 730 0778 or visit the website at www.wmfestival.co.za

Battalion Pipe Band are entertaining guests in gorgeous open-air settings.

for booking. CF

Soprano Michelle Corbin

Cellist Paulina Burdukova

classic feel / 33

TITLE

Pianist, singer, songwriter, all-round entertainer and MC extraordinaire, Ian von Memerty is perhaps best known to most South Africans as the host of SA’s Got Talent and as the creator of the hit music show, A Handful of Keys. Classicfeel sampled his latest album release, u r Fantastic.

34 / classic feel

Images courtesy of Ian von Memerty. Photography by Chad Felix

u r Fantastic!

TITLE

ccording to Ian von Memerty’s biography, posted on his

A

which von Memerty describes as ‘middle-class, middle-aged reggae’.

official website, he has been described as both ‘the

‘Perfect’ has a jaunty Big Band sound and is the kind of song that von

dictionary definition of show business’ and ‘a confused

Memerty had always hoped he would sing when he was young. ‘Stay with

eclectic’. If indeed the latter description holds true, then

Me’ was written as a uniquely South African wedding song, complete

von Memerty is just the kind of ‘confused eclectic’ that

with a ‘marabi-opskop combo’. ‘Mr Blues’, with a feel both jazzy and

defines and drives South African show business. If there is one thing that

bluesy, is von Memerty’s ‘tribute to all those musos whose music formed

we learn time and time again during conversations with various industry

the aural backdrop of seven of the best weeks of my life’. ‘I Don’t Like

professionals, it is that the South African entertainment industry does

You’ is another song one might direct at a former amour, while the title

not afford its practitioners the luxury of specialisation. Success in ‘the

track draws from von Memerty’s catch phrase from SA’s Got Talent and

biz’ requires that those involved are able to hold their own in a spectrum

pokes fun at talent show judges while exhorting everybody to step forward

of related disciplines – and this certainly applies to Ian von Memerty.

and let their gifts shine. ‘Who’s Your Daddy’ is a funky, soul-tinged track

Musician, singer, songwriter, writer, director, entrepreneur, television

that reminds the listener of a James Brown song. ‘1st 3 Hours’ is labeled

personality – he is all these things, and has achieved success, not only in

‘Jewish bluegrass’ – which may sound incongruous but works perfectly.

show business in general, but in each of these particular areas.

‘Keep It Real’ is a ‘funky rant about modern hype’ and ‘Not that Brave’

Aside from his work on the television shows SA’s Got Talent and

is an ode to the challenges of love. ‘Eva’ is heartfelt tribute to the late

Strictly Come Dancing, von Memerty is best known as a constant presence

singer Eva Cassidy and ‘Leaving’ is a slow ballad that follows in much the

in South African theatre. He has starred in, written and directed numerous

same vein. When writing ‘Lazy Summer Day’, von Memerty says

hit shows over the years. Among the shows he has originated and/or

that he ‘wanted a song that just built and built and then died

directed are the hugely successful piano showcase, A Handful of Keys, the

away – three chords, one vibe and a great big smile’.

rock ballet, Rock A Tutu, the controversial musical Fiela’s Child and the

‘Queen Bee’ is for Latin dance fans, ‘Rocking at

international hit Umoja. But he is by no means a behind-the-scenes man;

the Ritz’ is a big swing number and

he has spent plenty of time in the spotlight. He has performed in various

‘Rainbow Nation’ is a tribute to

runs of A Handful of Keys and has played in musical staples such as The

von Memerty’s homeland.

Rocky Horror Show, Grease and Camelot among others. He also directs Rand Merchant Bank’s semi-annual music extravaganza, Starlight Classics.

In addition to all these activities in the world of television and theatre,

u r Fantastic is a fun, well written, well-produced and well-performed album

von Memerty is also an experienced recording artist. His first album, Me

by a consummate

and My Piano, was a straightforward voice and piano album that featured

showbiz

highlights from A Handful of Keys. The follow-up, A Celebration was

professional. CF

geared towards big show tunes, reflecting a decade of von Memerty’s live work. His latest album, due for release this year, is titled u r Fantastic and is the first of his albums to feature only original compositions.

Produced by von Memerty and Neil Leachman, u r Fantastic draws on all of the performer’s influences over the years. Many of the tracks have a theatrical bent and feature big band style brass arrangements.

Von Memerty sings, and also plays the piano on some tracks. Supporting him is an ensemble of fine music industry professionals: Roelof Colyn (piano); Andrew Warneke (bass); Stephen Hurter (guitar); Hugo Kleinhans (banjo); Kristo Zondagh (percussion); Shawn Lyon, Marlon Louis and Lincoln Adams (trumpet); Ondela Simakuhle, Nicholas Barfknecht and Erle Felkers (saxophone); Kyle du Preez, Carmen Plaatjies and Zintle Thomas (trombone); and Rob Watson (drums).

The album consists of 17 tracks, each of which has a little story behind it. Each of the tracks is marked by von Memerty’s powerful, seasoned, theatrical voice, impressive songwriting mastery and a good sense of humour. The opener is ‘Out of My Life’, an upbeat number about a relationship that has outlived its shelf life. Von Memerty says in his programme notes that ‘Out of My Life’ is the song that ‘everyone has wanted to sing to someone at some time’. Next is ‘Easy Kind of Love’,

classic feel / 35

MUSICALITY

Š Columbia Artists Management Inc.

Elza van den Heever

Angela Kerrison

36 / classic feel

Bronwen Forbay

All pictures courtesy of the respective artists and their management

Three decades of the Apollo Music Trust n 1981, conductor and choirmaster Richard Cock, together with his

I

friend Nick Lewis, decided to set up a trust to support local chamber

Founded in 1981, the Apollo Music Trust has helped launch the careers of some of South Africa’s finest musicians. Classicfeel’s Warren Holden spoke to its director and cofounder, Richard Cock, about some of the remarkable alumni that have emerged from Apollo’s nurturing wings.

music performance and to provide young South African musicians with opportunities and study. Over 30 years later, their initiative, which they called the Apollo Music Trust, is still going strong and can boast that

it has facilitated the careers of several great South African musicians.

Initially, the Trust was self-funded through its chamber and choral music concerts. This began to change as of 1998, when Rand Merchant Bank’s Starlight Classics concerts, of which Cock is the musical director, were launched. ‘After we first started Starlight Classics,’ Cock recalls, ‘various people started approaching Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) for help and after discussions with Carolynne Waterhouse [of RMB Corporate Marketing], I understood that RMB was not able to assist individuals directly through corporate social investment, but was prepared to provide funding through a body such as a public benefit, or non-profit organisation. They asked if I would be willing to guide and administer a portion of their ‘musical giving’ through Apollo Music Trust. We started off by dealing with specific individual proposals, but the bank soon realised that, with all the applications coming in, it would be better to give the Trust an annual amount, which would then be distributed among a certain number of carefully-screened applicants each year.’

MUSICALITY

Given Nkosi

38 / classic feel

Zoe Beyers

Megan Kahts

soprano with the perfect combination of vocal and dramatic ability.

The Trust works by distributing between R400 000 and R500 000 a

Originally from Johannesburg, she left the country to study at the San

year in bursaries to various promising young musicians. The beneficiaries

Francisco Conservatory and has since performed extensively in Europe

have generally appeared at Starlight Classics and are known to Cock or

and the United States.

RMB. The sheer number of applications that the Trust would have to deal

One of the more recent and most well publicised Apollo success

with if it were open to the public would simply be unmanageable. Cock and

stories is that of soprano, Pretty Yende. Born in the Mpumalanga town of

RMB also proactively approach musicians whom they regard as bursary

Piet Retief, Yende was introduced to opera purely by chance when she was

candidates, with huge talent but no access to supporting finance. ‘Apollo

captivated by Delibes’ ‘Flower Duet’ from Lakmé, which she heard in an

beneficiaries range from singers, to various instrumentalists, to pianists, to

advert on television. She went on to study at the South African College of

conductors, to choirmasters and ensembles,’ Cock says.

Music at the University of Cape Town, and after winning one of Europe’s

The list of alumni that have benefited from the Trust’s support is

most prestigious singing contests – the Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition

lengthy and it would be impossible to discuss each one on these pages.

– in 2009, she entered the Young Artist Programme at La Scala and is still

We can, however, run through some of the higher-profile ones, most

based in Milan. Pretty was invited to headline RMB Starlight Classics in

of whom will be easily recognised by enthusiasts of classical music

September last year and enthralled the 10 000-strong audience with her

in South Africa (and abroad in some cases). ‘The very first one,’ says

globally celebrated singing abilities.

Cock, ‘was Elza van den Heever, who is set to come back to South

Also based in Italy is soprano, Nozuko Teto. Until October last year, she

Africa in June for a concert in Cape Town. She is now a very successful,

was a studio soloist at Cape Town Opera (another organisation in a long

internationally recognised opera singer.’ A member of Oper Frankfurt, van

term relationship with the RMB Fund). Since then, Teto has been studying

den Heever has garnered enormous praise internationally as a mezzo-

under legendary singer and teacher, Mirella Freni, at the Accademia di alto

MUSICALITY

perfezionamento per cantanti lirici in Modena. Two other internationally lauded opera divas have also benefited from the Trust. Angela Kerrison, born and raised in Botswana, learned her craft at the South African College of Music and has been living and working in Europe since she joined the International Opera Studio in Zurich, Switzerland in 2006. She has returned to South Africa from time to time as a guest of RMB Starlight Classics, and in 2007, came to sing the role of Pamina in William Kentridge’s production of Die Zauberflöte. Bronwen Forbay began her music education at the University of Kwazulu-Natal and, via a Fulbright scholarship, was able to continue her training at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City and the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She graced South Africa last year for a breathtaking performance in the title role of Cape Town Opera’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

Also a Cape Town Opera alumnus, Given Nkosi has performed in numerous productions by the company and is perhaps best known to Starlight Classics audiences as a member of the 20 Tenors, the group that entertained the crowds at Vergelegen and Country Club Johannesburg in the build up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He has been studying under renowned soprano and opera director, Renata Scotto in Italy, but returns often to take part in opera productions and concerts. Like Yende, Teto and Nkosi, soprano Runette Botha is a graduate of the South African College of Music. She has just accepted an offer to join Staatstheater Kassel, a German opera company, after spending a number of years studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Twenty-three-year-old soprano Megan Kahts has already established a respectable recording career, singing both classical and popular repertoire. She is currently studying in Vienna. Both Botha and Kahts are on RMB’s Starlight wishlist. Among other singers that the Trust has in its files are tenor William Senoana, Siyabonga Maqungo (of Duetenori and 20 Tenors fame) and soprano Friedel Mitas.

Aside from the financial aid that the Trust gives to young musicians, Cock also takes pains to ensure that they get much needed exposure and performance practice. ‘I also try to give them opportunities to sing Pretty Yende

40 / classic feel

in other events that I’m involved with,’ he says, ‘for example, Songs of

“JUST BEING A MUSICIAN IS DIFFICULT; YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO PLAY, TEACH, ORGANISE, HANDLE YOUR FINANCES, ETC. I FIND THAT THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA ARE THE HIGH-ENERGY INDIVIDUALS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF DIFFERENT BUT COMPLEMENTARY TALENTS AND SKILLS.”

Praise, Last Night of the Proms, concerts in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town,

only 54 candidates in the undergraduate class of the Liverpool Institute

Durban, wherever. Because they’re supported by the Apollo Music Trust,

of Performing Arts – the music, dance and drama school founded by Sir

I try to bring them into productions aside from the RMB concerts so that

Paul McCartney. Beyers is now first violinist with the Scottish Chamber

they get experience in singing, and this is a very important part of what

Orchestra. Marshall moved into a highly specialised area of pianism

being associated with the Trust offers them. Pretty Yende sang with me

and has established herself in the UK as a first class accompanist. She

in a Last Night of the Proms Concert before she became as famous as

organises regular visits by Royal College of Music students to perform in

she is now. When she came back from the competitions in Europe, she

South Africa.

was dubbed the “Musical Tsunami”. She said that one of the important

While the need to produce many musicians of excellent quality

differences between her and the other students taking part was that

in order to grow and sustain the South African music industry is self-

she had had many opportunities to sing with orchestras – and there’s

evident, many people overlook the fact that no industry can function

a very big difference between singing with orchestras and singing

without administrators, managers, teachers and other leaders. Cock

with a keyboard. She thinks that the reason she was so confident and

is well aware of this gap however. ‘One of the students that we’re

able to project herself as well as she did, was that she had a lot of

supporting at the moment,’ he says, ‘is a girl called Thokozile Zulu

experience singing with orchestras. This made me realise that we should

and she is not going to be a performer but she is going to be a very

be providing even more opportunities for these students to sing with

good teacher. This is a new direction for us, but I think it’s a very

orchestras, so that they are confident and are able to tackle the bigger

important one because there’s a shortage of good music teachers

performances. So that’s what I’m trying to do now more and more: give

around the country. I’m trying to identify young talent that will make a

the people that we support more opportunities to perform in public.’

meaningful contribution to the music industry, whether as performers,

The majority of the Apollo alumni have been singers rather than

or conductors or teachers. We also have Albert Horne, who studied

instrumentalists. ‘This is because of the connection of guest artists with

in London and is now the chorus master for Cape Town Opera. An

RMB and Starlight Classics,’ says Cock. But the Trust opens its arms to

interesting case is De Wet Bruwer. He trained as a pianist in England

all musicians and is not for vocalists only. It has also produced some fine

and he came back but because it’s not easy to make a career as a

instrumentalists, such as JP Gabriels (organ), James Oesi (double bass),

pianist – it’s a very competitive world – he decided to go into concert

Maxine Matthews (saxophone), Anne Marshall (piano) and Zoe Beyers

management. He joined a company called Five Seasons Entertainment

(violin). Gabriels has just graduated with a Masters degree from Southern

Agency, which he now manages. These roles are all very important

Methodist University. Oesi started off playing the double bass in the

parts of the industry. I’ve been amazed at the interconnectedness

Johannesburg Festival Orchestra when he was still in high school. When

of all these things. I’m lucky in that I’m a bit of all these: a bit of a

he was only in Grade 11, he decided that playing the double bass was

performer, a bit of an organiser, a bit of an entrepreneur – which is

what he wanted to do with his life. With the Trust’s support, he set off for

both a weakness and a strength. Just being a musician is difficult; you

Russia after he matriculated to learn his craft. He is now a professional

need to be able to play, teach, organise, handle your finances, etc. I

bassist and lives and works in Belgium. Matthews studied in France and

find that the people who really make a positive difference in South

was a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Youth Windband. In September

Africa are the high-energy individuals with a wide range of different

last year, she moved to Liverpool to take up a coveted position among

but complementary talents and skills.’ CF

MUSICALITY

42 / classic feel

A Performance with an Edge ‘Music is the manifestation of the human spirit,

is broad and interesting – dealing with areas from

similar to language. Its greatest practitioners

Jazz and Contemporary music, Improvisation,

have conveyed to mankind things not possible to

Composition and Arrangement, Ensemble playing,

say in any other language. If we do not want these

World and South African Music as well as Western

things to remain dead treasures, we must do our

Classical Music. It is naturally a tremendous source

utmost to make the greatest possible number of

of pride for St Mary’s when former pupils go on to

people understand their idiom’

become professional musicians – there have been

ZoltĂĄn KodĂĄly

some notable examples: pianist Jill Richards and Creativity and imagination are integral for the

internationally acclaimed singer Sandra Ford are

development of our academic, economic and social

both St Mary’s old girls.

progress.

To provide the St Mary’s girls with the

opportunities to garner their talents, The Edge was

students to participate in a subject that brings

‘Providing opportunities for self-expression,

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immense enjoyment and creative satisfaction

bringing the inner world into the outer world of

facility for music, dance and the visual and dramatic

along with academic rigour.’

concrete reality‌’

The naturally lit mezzanine and the individual

St Mary’s Music Department runs a dynamic

practice

laughter

ensemble programme. Girls playing instruments

arts provides the housing for the expression of original, independent creative talent.

rooms

resound

with

the

of

aspiring

Driven by an exciting, professional team of three full

and

musicians.

are encouraged to play in groups to develop their

time and twenty part time music practitioners led by

Contemporary music is extremely popular and

sight-reading skills and ensemble techniques. The

Director of Music, Dudley Trollope, the Music Department

provides our girls with the opportunity to express

Junior and Senior School orchestra, marimba bands,

is a nurturing and caring safe space in which the girls

their creativity through song-writing, improvisation

jazz ensemble, rock bands, R&B band and keyboard

appreciate and immerse themselves in music.

and performance. St Mary’s offers contemporary

ensembles perform regularly at events such as On

music tuition through the Jazz syllabus of the

the Edge Arts Festival.

excitement

our

The dynamic extra-curricular programme offers

Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and

tuition in a wide variety of instruments which

the Trinity Rock School syllabus. Most popular are

‘A language that all people speak - that cuts

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piano and keyboard, voice, drums, saxophone,

across racial, cultural, social, educational,

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electric and acoustic guitar and bass guitar.

and economic barriers and enhance cultural

clarinet, saxophone, recorder and trumpet are

appreciation and awareness‌’

played by our girls and we have superb voice

‘We follow an integrated approach when it

teachers.

Entry into Associated Board of the

comes to exploring the world of music – students

The Edge resounds with the lovely sounds of our

Royal Schools of Music examinations and various

learn the ‘tricks of the trade’ by being immerged

choirs including the Singing Angels, Senior Primary

Eistedfoddau is determined by considering the

in actual music making and the exploration of a

Choir, Chamber Choir, Middle School Choir and

personality and ability of each girl.

myriad of different styles and genres of music.’

Senior School Choir.

‘We are committed to the principles of excellence

Music is offered as part of the Arts and Culture

Energy, music and laughter are tangible as the girls

in teaching and to our role in broadening of music

programme in Grades 8 and 9 and then as a chosen

learn through extending their creative imaginations

as a subject, to offer opportunities to more

academic subject in Grades 10 to 12. The curriculum

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CONTACT DETAILS: 55 Athol Street, Waverley, Johannesburg PO Box 981, Highlands North 2037 Tel: +27 11 531 1800 Fax: 086 504 1122 Email: marketing@stmary.co.za Website: www.stmarysschool.co.za

MUSICALITY Coming Home and Momentum reinvest in local music talent Last year, Isak Roux’s jazz-gospel cantata Coming Home was performed with the support of Momentum. All proceeds from ticket sales were donated to three arts and culture charities dedicated to educating children in music.

Sibongile Khumalo, one of the soloists in the Coming Home concert, also passionatelyinvolved with one of the concert’s beneficiaries, the Khongisa Academy

Before the performances of Coming Home last year, Danie van den Bergh,

to purchase instruments and their accessories, repair some that have

Head of Brand at Momentum, said, ‘Our sponsorship of this production

been damaged, as well as help with other requirements needed to run

means that all proceeds from ticket sales of Coming Home will be

the facility.’

donated to music, arts and culture-inspired charities for disadvantaged

The Hout Bay Music Project Trust is a registered non-profit,

children. The three charities are the Hout Bay Music Project Trust in the

public benefit organisation and charitable trust. It is committed to

Western Cape, the African Cultural Organisation of South Africa (ACOSA)

providing opportunities to over 80 primary and secondary school

in Gauteng and the Khongisa Academy for the Performing Arts in

students. Most of whom are from the historically disadvantaged

KwaZulu-Natal. The projects provide lessons in violin, viola, cello, double

communities of Hangberg harbour village and Imizamo Yethu township.

bass, marimba and other wind instruments, providing learners with

The purpose is to help students express their musical talents within

musical activities outside of their formal learning environment. Money

a supportive learning environment to develop their full potential. The

from the seats sold at every performance will enable these organisations

Trust’s educational programmes, ranging from musical to life skills, are

44 / classic feel

Timothy Moloi, Sibongile Khumalo and Siyabonga Maqungo sing in the finale of Coming Home. Behind them, Kutlwano Masote conducts the Chamber Orchestra of Johannesburg and the Black Tie Ensemble chorus.

organised as meaningful and structured after-school programmes in the

is increased access to music education programmes by aspirant

period when children are most often left unsupervised. Classes take

musicians, the nurturing of existing music programmes, performance

place five afternoons a week. The project places a strong emphasis on

partnerships and the preservation and documentation of South

performance, where the children gain practical experience and at the

African music. The Soweto Music Conservatoire model is spreading

same time generate an income for the project, thereby contributing to its

to rural areas through two successful pilot projects that will hopefully

sustainability. The children targeted by the project are mostly identified as

inspire similar ones across the country. These are the Moretele Music

youth at risk. The project provides extramural activities that not only teach

Conservatoire in the North West and the Vaal Music Conservatoire in

music as an end in itself but also as a means to teach helpful life skills to

Sebokeng. Orchestras and choirs have emerged from these initiatives.

the children. The children have received the benefit of master classes given

Professional orchestras, as well as military bands, are steadily

by international musicians and have toured extensively – including a visit

seeking and integrating ACOSA-trained musicians into their ranks.

to Maastricht, Netherlands by the special invitation of Andre Rieu.

The African Cultural Organisation of South Africa (ACOSA)

Based in Vulindlela township, Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, the Khongisa Academy of the Performing Arts was founded by Professor

was first founded after World War 2 as a community initiative to

Khabi Mngoma, the father of highly acclaimed opera and jazz singer,

preserve the arts and cultures of the fast-growing, diverse peoples

Sibongile Khumalo. Khumalo remains passionately involved in the

around Johannesburg. It was registered as a Section 21 company

Academy, which provides music and theatre training to disadvantaged

in 1998 and continues to assist government and city councils in

children from the surrounding areas. She is developing a music teaching

reaching out to the community and responding to the need for formal

programme that encompasses the best of the Western and African music

music training and development. For the past 40 years, through the

traditions. In 2007, she founded the Khabi Mngoma Foundation, which

Soweto Music Conservatoire, ACOSA has worked to provide a home

exists to raise funds for the Academy.

where young and old musicians from a variety of backgrounds can

By committing its takings to these three charities, Coming Home,

join together to learn and perform music. In the past decade, the

with support from Momentum, has reinvested its revenue in South

organisation’s emphasis has been on creating similar viable and

African talent, which will reap rewards in the form of fully realised

sustainable structures on a provincial and national basis, helping

performing artists ready to enrich the world through their hard-earned

musical organizations to integrate and share resources. The result

and nurtured musical skills. CF

MUSICALITY

Naxos Music Library A massive, continuously growing online database of classical music recordings and various supplementary materials, the Naxos Music Library promises ‘an invaluable resource for universities, music schools, public libraries, music professionals and collectors’. Classicfeel explored the site and found it true to its claims.

Naxos Records is a name that is instantly recognisable to any lover of

The Library is specially suited to academic work. Biographical

classical music. Since 1987, the Hong Kong-based record label has become

and historical information to go with the recordings is exhaustive.

world famous for its high quality digital recordings marketed at budget

Professors have set up specific playlists to accompany particular

prices. In 2003, the company took a giant leap forward by creating its

courses and all users also have the option of setting up their own

own online music library, which, for a very reasonable annual fee, allows

playlists to suit their specific purposes. As a result, schools and

subscribers instant access to its entire catalogue in 64 kbps or 128 kbps

universities around the world – even here in South Africa – have been

audio – CD quality and beyond.

taking out subscriptions, recognising the undeniable value of this

Aside from the Naxos catalogue, the Music Library also includes complete catalogues or selected recordings from over 320 other independent

resource for both teachers and learners.

Considering the size and value of the Naxos Music Library, the

labels, including ARC, Berlin Classics, Chandos, Marco Polo and Vanguard

cost of subscription is very reasonable. A single 64kbps subscription,

Classics. This means that the library consists of no less than 61 420 CD-length

open for up to five users, costs R1200 per year. The higher the number

recordings – or 877 200 tracks – and that number goes up by around 800 CDs

of one-to-five-person subscriptions an institution takes out, the lower

every month. The offerings are not limited to classical music alone. The library

the price. For example, if a school takes a subscription to be accessed

also covers jazz, world music, classic rock and a selection of recordings, which

by 501 users or more, the cost is only R700 per year. A 128kbps

it refers to as nostalgia music. In addition to the recordings, full music notes,

subscription costs R1500 per year.

cover artwork, libretti and synopses are uploaded onto the site.

The site is extremely easy to use, with a database that is searchable by composer, title, keywords, as well as advanced search categories such

For those interested in audiobooks, the Naxos Spoken Word Library will also be of interest.

The Naxos Music Library is well worth looking into for both

as year of composition, label, instrumentation and genre. No special

institutions and individual music fanatics. For more information, visit www.

software is necessary; once you have paid your subscription fee and

naxosmusiclibrary.com or contact Next Music, the local agent for Naxos

received your user name and password, you are instantly connected.

Records, on 011 450 3643. CF

46 / classic feel

NAXOS MUSIC LIBRARY IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF CLASSICAL MUSIC AVAILABLE ONLINE

www.NaxosMusicLibrary.com

MUSICALITY

Courtesy of Trinity College London

Learn Rock and Pop Music at Trinity

An innovative new Rock & Pop syllabus is now available from Trinity

A songbook including a CD with demo and backing tracks, performance

College London as of the beginning of 2012, and will include graded

notes and guidance on technical skills and supporting tests will support

exams for guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals (Initial to Grade

each exam. Additionally, an array of online resources will be available,

8). Developed in partnership with two of the world’s leading music

including sheet music and backing track downloads, blogs, forums and

publishers, Faber Music and Peters Edition London, the new syllabus

teaching and learning tips.

will feature an impressive roster of rock and pop styles and artists,

Songs have been carefully selected to demonstrate specific musical

ranging from the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, ABBA, David Bowie and Joni

skills, such as mandolin tremolo in ‘Knights of Cydonia’ by Muse, funk drum

Mitchell, to Radiohead, the Kings of Leon, Green Day, Muse and Rihanna.

grooves in Cee Lo Green’s ‘Forget You’, double-stopped harmonics in the bass

Performance is very much at the core of this new syllabus – reflecting the way many rock and pop musicians learn their craft.

Candidates will perform three songs and complete one supporting test.

line from Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Born Of A Broken Man’, as well as perfecting Rihanna’s R&B vocal technique in the smash hit ‘Umbrella’.

Trinity CEO Sarah Kemp says: ‘I have no doubt that this radical and

Those with songwriting ambitions can opt to perform one of their own

inclusive new Rock & Pop syllabus will breathe new life into music

original songs in the exam or may select their own chosen repertoire

education, breaking down many of the barriers currently in place. Trinity

to perform cover versions. Singers have the option of performing

College London is passionate in its commitment to reach out to as

self-accompanied, and instrumentalists can sing the vocal lines where

many young musicians as possible, and to building the relevant musical

appropriate, if they choose to do so.

communities around them.’ CF

48 / classic feel

A NEW SET OF GROUNDBREAKING ROCK & POP MUSIC QUALIFICATIONS...

FIND OUT MORE AT

WWW.TRINITYROCK.COM @TRINITY_ROCK

WWW.TRINITYROCK.COM/FACEBOOK

Š DeskLink Media

Backstage with tenor Musa Nkuna

50 / classic feel

NEWS AND EVENTS

This year marks my 13th year living in Europe. For the first three years I

of recitatives with harpsichord and, as you may know, recitatives tend to

was a music student in Lausanne, Switzerland, and for the succeeding

sound the same. The harpsichord played a chord and I had no clue what my

ten years I have been a professional opera singer in Germany. I do not

next line was because I got confused with the opera I was doing. For some

want to give you my full curriculum vitae but I thought I would share

strange reason, our prompt had not been concentrating enough to give me

some of my best moments with you. I am sure you will agree with me

my text. So the audience had to accept the few melodious Shangaan words

that surviving ten years in any highly competitive market is not child’s

that came out of my mouth, and my Rosina could not help but giggle for the

play! With that in mind, you will understand why I celebrate this

next two minutes. Well, both Shangaan and Italian have these open vowel

milestone as a big achievement and a personal triumph. Like any other

sounds so I do not think it made that big a difference!

child in a normal society, I was brought up in a close-knit family by loving

My very first professional opera engagement was as Alfredo in Verdi´s

parents who wanted only the best for us. Looking back, and since I now

La Traviata at the Stadttheater Pforzheim, Germany, in 2002. I had two

have children of my own, I realise how difficult it must have been for our

weeks of rehearsals and I was put on the big stage three weeks after the

parents to bring up all six of us in an equal, loving way. But we grew up

premiere, which was done by another more experienced tenor. Fortunately

with lots of music around, and I think that my father’s musical activities

I was given a special Orchestra Stage Rehearsal (Bühnen Orchesterprobe)

as a choral composer, adjudicator, conductor, and music producer at the

the day before my debut. I thought this was standard practice in all

SABC influenced my passion for choral music, which in turn, triggered

theatres but only found out years later that the Artistic Director was just

my love for opera and western classical music, although I was only able

being supportive of me and went out of his way to organise a special

to see my first live opera at the Playhouse Theatre at the age of 19 while

rehearsal with the full company for me. After 12 performances I became

studying music in Durban in 1992.

more and more at ease with acting and singing on stage. Acting and

As a teenager, I was lucky to meet Paulette Robert, a Swiss pianist,

singing may seem easy when one watches from the audience, but it is

missionary and musician, who – since our schools did not offer music

not. Fortunately we had acting lessons at the Conservatoire de Lausanne.

as a school subject – taught me to read and write music. These music

These lessons were very helpful for me since acting had not been part of

lessons proved to be an indispensable asset throughout my university

my music curriculum at the University of Durban-Westville.

music studies and my present career as a professional opera singer. A

I also learnt during my time in Pforzheim that before you start learning

proper base is required, especially among the youth, in order to understand

an opera role you must first find out in which language it will be sung. Half

and excel in a particular subject! Unfortunately, most of my university

way through memorising Cosi fan Tutte in Italian, I found out that we were

colleagues did not have this base, and therefore struggled in grasping

actually doing a German version. It is a common practice in smaller German

subjects such as Theory of Music, Harmony and Counterpoint, etc. Most

theatres to do a translated version instead of the original, especially for

prospective music students also did not realise that possession of a

Mozart operas. Unlearning an opera role can be complicated! I mentioned

beautiful voice or ability to play a particular music instrument will not give

earlier that I celebrate this milestone as a big achievement and a personal

you a Bachelor of Music degree.

triumph, but I also understand that luck has played an important role in my

Recently, I counted the number of operas I have done, and I found out

success. My main reason for mentioning this is that I believe that we all

that I have been in 56 opera productions in the last ten years. This translates

have – to a certain extent – the potential to determine our own destiny, and

to about 400 opera performances in total. I am busy with rehearsals of my

that through hard work and luck we have the possibility of achieving some of

57th opera production at the moment. Within the same period I did about 25

our dreams. Of course I must add that it is not always possible to achieve all

full oratorios, some of which I have repeated several times. This may sound

that one wants.

like too much and perhaps you would imagine that one does not get much of a rest. But I can assure you that this is normal practice in Germany. There

With so many roles in my repertoire, I do have some role preferences and I feel lucky to have been able to stand on stage and sing Mozart roles

are always lots of performances and opera singers with normal resident

like Tamino in The Magic Flute for Cape Town Opera and the Berlin Opera

contracts are usually given between 30 and 40 performances of between four

Festival; Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni for Schloss Oper Haldenstein in

and seven operas a year, this excludes guest contracts that a singer may be

Switzerland and for the Portuguese National Opera in Lisbon; Ferrando

offered in other opera houses. An Austrian baritone colleague recently told

in Cosi fan Tutte for Stadttheater Pforzheim, Theater Siegen and the

me he sang 118 performances of eleven operas last season!

Staatstheater Schwerin; Belfiore in La Finta Giardiniera for Opera de

It does get challenging to do so much work at one time – not in the

Lausanne and for Cologne Opera, and others. I have also been lucky to

sense of the music being difficult, but in remembering little things in a

have performed oratorios of such composers as Bach, Beethoven, Brubeck,

particular production, or even remembering what your next line may be. I did

Dvorâck, Finzi, Franck, Handel, Haydn, Honegger, Mendelsohn, Mozart, Orff,

performances of Ferrando in Mozart´s Cosi fan Tutte a few years ago, and,

Schubert, Tippet, Verdi, etc.

at the same time, sang Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville. The roles of

I have not ventured into the heavier Italian roles, and contrary to

Dorabella in Cosi fan Tutte and Rosina in The Barber of Seville were sung by

what several people have suggested, including some agents, I will not

the same mezzo-soprano. We had a great performance of Cosi one evening

be doing so in the near future. I think with experience, one learns to use

and the following night we did The Barber of Seville. Both works have lots

one’s voice wisely! CF

classic feel / 51

A Time For

Everything For actor, director and writer Princess Zinzi Mhlongo, life and work are all about timing. Provided the work is being done, she believes, everything comes along at the appropriate time. If she needed any proof of this, her 2012 Standard Bank Young Artist Award provides it, coming at a critical juncture in her career.

Classicfeel’s Warren Holden spoke to her about the award and her work. or Princess Mhlongo, the 2012 Standard Bank Young Artist Award

Her introduction to theatre came through traditional, dialogue-based

came along at exactly the right time. For any South African artist,

works – ‘the classics’, as she calls them – but her future direction would

such an award would be welcome at any time, but for Mhlongo,

be set by a life-changing experience during one of her Grahamstown visits.

its timing was particularly good. It really seemed to prove what

‘Once we were watching a show in Grahamstown,’ she recalls. ‘I can’t

she has long believed – that all things happen exactly when they

remember the title now but we drove to this abandoned castle and it was

F

are supposed to. ‘It came at a time when I wanted to change direction in

really experimental theatre, which was so new to me. They did all these

terms of the kind of work I wanted to do and had just started to write my

different things that I never knew about and this unknown world really

own stuff. Now I have this award behind me when I take that big step.’

started to grow inside me.’

According to Mhlongo, her career was launched by this kind of fortuitous

Upon leaving high school in her hometown of eMalahleni

timing – being in the right place at the right time. ‘In high school I was

(formerly Witbank), Mpumalanga, Mhlongo enrolled at the Tshwane

always interested in stage,’ she says, ‘but I didn’t know which direction to

University of Technology (TUT), taking her BA in Drama. Here

take. It really began for me when I joined a group run by [current National

she learned her craft as an actress and director. By the time she

Arts Festival (NAF) Director] Ismail Mohamed.’ Had she not made Mohamed’s

graduated, she had directed productions of Joe Woodward’s Naked

acquaintance and joined his Witbank Youth Theatre, she says, she would

Goddess, Fatima Dike’s So What’s New and Michael Williams’

probably never have found a way to exercise her interest in the theatre. She

Crocodiles. She made her professional debut in 2008 with a

was part of the group for two years, during which time, Mohamed took them

production of Zakes Mda’s And the Girls in Their Sunday Dresses.

to Grahamstown to soak up the rich cultural atmosphere of the NAF. ‘We

She counts Mda as one of her major influences, along with Paul

learned so much,’ she recalls. ‘We would watch about 30 shows and present

Grootboom. ‘I’ve done Zakes’ work often and I’ve been fortunate to

one of our own. That was really my foundation.’

actually consult directly with him on his work.’

52 / classic feel

Images: Courtesy of Standard Bank © Suzy Bernstein

“EVERYTHING THAT’S HAPPENED IN MY LIFE STARTED AS A DREAM, AND I’VE MADE IT HAPPEN BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN IT. MANY YOUTHS DON’T BELIEVE AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND IF WE CAN USE THEATRE FOR THAT, WE SHOULD.”

classic feel / 53

After working exclusively on plays by other playwrights, Mhlongo

through the holding concept of the museum and the family that finds itself

was approached in 2010 by the organisers of the Young Directors Festival,

stuck there, Mhlongo is able to explore a number of themes. ‘It’s good for

held in Salzburg, Austria. ‘They said they were interested in young South

me to start off telling a few little stories instead of one long one,’ she says.

Africans and the sorts of stories we have to tell. I initially wanted to do

‘It’s also more visually oriented than the work I’ve done in the past, which

[George C. Wolfe’s] The Colored Museum. But there were a lot of issues

were the classics and traditional realism, which were more dialogue-

with that – struggles over performing rights and all that. That made me

driven, so this is really moving forward for me. It’s going to be something

realise that I had to find a way to have work ready whenever someone

fresh and new for me. I’ve really tried to push myself to work with people

asked me to do something. So this is my first time writing and when I told

in all fields of the arts. There’s a lot of movement, a lot of physical theatre,

them that I was writing something of my own, they were fully supportive.

and I’m also working with a composer so I can learn more about music

They said, “Just do you!”’ In another instance of perfect timing, the

direction. It’s a really exciting process.’

Standard Bank Young Artist announcement came when Mhlongo was

Mhlongo is part of perhaps the first generation of theatre makers since

preparing the new work to take to Austria. ‘I was a bit worried at first

the early 70s for whom subject matter relating to politics and protest is

because I thought the dates of the festival would clash with my time in

no longer relevant. ‘Circumstances dictate the type of work that you do,’

Austria. I said to [the NAF Committee], “I’m writing this for Austria. Would

she says. ‘In the days of protest theatre, that’s what people related to at

you be interested in doing the same production?” And they agreed. So the

the time. With us today, we have so many influences. For me it would be

timing worked perfectly because now, before I go to Austria, I’ll present my

the American world that we see on TV mixed with my own culture from

work in Grahamstown.’

home. I can’t even say, “look at me, I’m Zulu” because we’ve adapted and

The work in question is called Trapped. ‘Because I had originally

mixed so much. But that’s part of life – I don’t regard it as a wrong turn

wanted to do The Colored Museum, I took my inspiration from that. It’s

or a loss of culture. The title Trapped asks the questions, what is modern

about a family that is trapped inside an abandoned museum and they

slavery? What enslaves us all? When I was writing it, I kept thinking about

come to tell the stories of different people who are all trapped in different

the Austrian audience and wondering what they relate to. For me, the

ways, in various circumstances. I’ve taken each of these stories and made

difference between them and us is that their shows don’t have issues but

them into the museum’s exhibits.’ Linking several different stories together

we have so many issues and we want to throw them all in. Their shows

54 / classic feel

“BACK THEN IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE STRUGGLE, BUT FOR ME NOW IT’S ABOUT WHAT I SEE AROUND ME. I MAY CONTEMPLATE THE PAST BUT IT’S REALLY ABOUT FINDING THE WAY FORWARD. I CAN’T GO INTO HISTORY AND ALL THAT. I’M NOT EQUIPPED FOR IT; I HAVEN’T STUDIED POLITICS AND HISTORY. I CAN ONLY REALLY TAKE FROM EVERYDAY LIFE.”

are beautiful and entertaining and struggle free. Back then it was all

herself was given and more. ‘The talent is there,’ she says, ‘it’s not about

about the struggle, but for me now it’s about what I see around me. I may

that. It’s about producing more and more work. There are people out there

contemplate the past but it’s really about finding the way forward. I can’t

who are writing interesting work, but that work doesn’t get produced. We

go into history and all that. I’m not equipped for it; I haven’t studied politics

need a bridge between those people and the industry and once we have that,

and history. I can only really take from everyday life. There’s nothing wrong

arts and entertainment in South Africa will take off. In my hometown, there

with telling political stories but it’s hard for me. Even when I’m doing

are lots of young artists but they aren’t always given the opportunity to see

classic plays, I adapt them so that I can relate to them. My present, and

how the industry works and they don’t get to broaden their horizons and see

what I would like to see in the future, are what really matter to me.’

different work out there that can inspire them. I’m really looking for ways to

Mhlongo founded her production company, Tick Tock Productions in her

utilise the award and get myself out there and bring cutting-edge theatre to

final year at university. The company name again refers to the theme of time,

those who normally wouldn’t know about it.’ Mhlongo credits Mohamed with

which Mhlongo considers so central to her career. ‘One of the subjects in my

giving her the opportunities to learn about theatre and stimulate her growth

course at TUT focused on the business side of theatre. After that, I decided

as an artist, and she feels that she has an obligation to pay this forward to

I really wanted to focus on how to start a company and how that process

the next generation.

worked. I needed a company that I could use to represent me. I didn’t want

Mhlongo’s concern for the youth forms a central part of subject matter and

to be just Princess on my own – for one thing, from a funding point of view,

her artistic vision. ‘I used to do industrial theatre with this troupe who would

it’s hard for people to grant funds to an individual but if you have a company,

go around and perform at high schools. That was a very important time for me,

they take your applications more seriously. I called it Tick Tock Productions

because not a lot of people get to see where the youth really are, and what

because there’s a time for everything. Everything in my life has had timing

they’re dealing with. You go to these youngsters, matric students, and ask,

for me – that was important.’ Tick Tock is an entertainment company that

“what are your plans for the next two years?” They don’t know and that worries

extends its efforts into several different areas of the industry. ‘We do

me because that means there are no dreams, and I really believe in dreams.

different kinds of shows, comedy shows, I used to manage a band and I also

Everything that’s happened in my life started as a dream, and I’ve made it

produce my own work. I really just spread my wings and tried everything.’

happen because I believed in it. Many youths don’t believe and I think that

Mhlongo also feels very strongly about mentoring young artists through their beginnings in the industry, affording them the same opportunities she

needs to be changed and if we can use theatre for that, we should. We have a chance to change the future for the best using our art.’ CF

classic feel / 55

ARTLOOKS AND ARTLINES

New Arts Managers

have to Dress to Kill Ismail Mohamed, Festival Director of the National Arts Festival, writes in his personal capacity for Classicfeel.

hen a Johannesburg daily newspaper broke the

W

headlines in 2008, that I was going to take up the job as Festival Director at the National Arts Festival, I can only assume that my mother cringed. She must have thought that I would be going back to my

eighties look of long hair, unkempt beard, hunter boots and dirty jeans. Of course, that was very much the way most of us who worked in the arts sector during those years presented ourselves. We naively manifested this public persona of looking and behaving like bohemians.

That shabby dress sense during my ‘artist years’ in the 80s was quite a contrast to the period when I worked as the Senior Cultural Specialist at the US Embassy. During the 90s, I discovered the joys of having a clean-shaven face. I began to invest in sophisticated deodorants. I hardly ever left home without my shoes being polished to the extent that I could sometimes see my own reflection in them. I accumulated more than 150 neckties in my wardrobe.

56 / classic feel

ARTLOOKS AND ARTLINES

I had a different tie for every occasion. Sometimes, in a single day,

of arts sponsorship at Standard Bank is Mandie van der Spuy. There

I’d wear three different ties. A beautiful paisley tie was ideal for an

isn’t a single arts manager who would not want to be seated at her

early morning meeting with an art curator or budding artist whom I was

table. Suzie Mabe at Transnet is another leading figure in the arts

considering nominating to participate in an exchange programme in the

sector who has taken the Transnet logo across a broad range of arts

USA. For my meetings with the Consul General or the Ambassador, my dark

sponsored products.

shaded ties were the ideal props that could transform me into a seriously focused advisor to a US diplomat.

Many of those preciously acquired ties still hang on a rack in my

At PPC, the sponsorship manager Mosele Maloleka is young, attractive and articulate about the way she sees the corporate sector reinforcing networks with arts organisations in developing communities. This kind

office in Grahamstown. I’ve often wondered if I would be generous enough

of vision about how the arts and the corporate sector can have a synergy

to hand them all over to an aspiring artist to use in some kind of an art

is strongly shared by Business and Arts South Africa’s CEO, Michelle

installation. At other quiet and more sinister moments, particularly when

Constant.

I become a little flustered by the slow pace of action when engaging with

At the National Arts Council, arts policy whiz kid, Monica Newton

government bureaucrats, I have slyly contemplated how those ties could

holds the reins of the organisation with a determined vision to reposition

be used to strangle an official and force him to shout out the replies that I

the National Arts Council and pull it out from its dreary past. At the

have long been waiting for.

Distell Foundation, Irma Alberts’s name is familiar to any arts manager

If every tie could tell a story, mine would speak volumes. As the

who has to write a funding proposal. At Telkom, there is Brenda Kali. Her

Festival Director of the National Arts Festival, I rarely get the opportunity

background as an artist makes her a superbly wonderful person to marry

to wear those ties as often as I used to do in my previous job. Those few

her organisation’s corporate marketing strategies with the arts.

moments when I do get to wear any of those ties, I immerse myself into

Many Johannesburg and Cape Town families have spent

somewhat of a frenzy about whether it should be the outrageous floral tie,

memorable evenings enjoying music at the Starlight Classics Concerts

the genuine silk tie, the striped formal tie or the eco-friendly tie made from

held each year in those cities. Behind the scenes of these entertaining

recycled fabric.

concerts, Carolynne Waterhouse of RMB gets full credit. Her signature

In the corporate world, wearing a tie has much to do with power and authority. In the arts sector, and the few rare occasions that we get to wear them, wearing a tie has more to do with glamour and a

is also behind projects by Cape Town Opera and the South African Ballet Theatre among others.

All of the women who hold these key positions in managing the

somewhat cynical mimicking of the corporate world. Some of the best

arts sponsorship purses are as glamorous as they are powerful. There

ties that I’ve seen people wear have been at the BASA Awards, the

is no way that an arts manager who still wears the eighties look of an

Standard Bank Young Artists Awards, the Naledi Awards and the Fleur

unkempt beard, sweaty t-shirt and dirty jeans is likely to find themselves

du Cap Awards.

sitting at the same table with these feminine symbols of power. So,

Now, I’ve often wondered why men like me who work in the arts

in all honesty my mother can be assured that like most contemporary

sector suddenly don a tie when we go to these awards functions. Is

arts managers, my monthly budget does make provision for a haircut,

it because we want to look important? Could it be because we want

manicure and a few new business shirts. And of course, there will

to schmooze with potential corporate guests who would be at these

always be some change left over for one more necktie to be added to my

awards? Or, has it got anything to do with us wanting to look like absolute

huge collection.

gentlemen in the presence of some of South Africa’s most powerful women who hold the arts purse strings?

It is not coincidental that in South Africa, the arts purse is firmly in the grip of focused, visionary and very smart women. The head

I guess my mother would say hats off to the powerful women in the arts sponsorship sector who keep us all looking smart, elegant, focused and with a business plan that is more clearly thought through than the kinds of notes that we stick on the fridge. CF

classic feel / 57

Artist Proof Studio Last year, Artist Proof Studio joined the Bag Factory in releasing a set of prints in celebration of their 20th year. To celebrate their 21st, Artist Proof Studio opens a massive retrospective at Johannesburg Art Gallery later this year.

n 1991, Kim Berman returned from the United States, where she had

Technikon Witwatersrand, enabling her to pay Xaba a salary for his role

been living and studying for several years. Armed with ‘a big, beautiful,

as a manager/teacher. In 1994, the Ford Foundation awarded Artist Proof

French tool-etching press’ that she bought with the proceeds from

a substantial grant; the studio was also allocated a space for exhibition

‘selling up her life’ in the US, she joined forces with artist Nhlanhla

at the 1995 Biennale in Johannesburg and the warehouse at 1 President

Xaba to set up Artist Proof Studio.

Street became their new home thereafter.

I

Established at 57 Jeppe Street (where the original sign can still

Artist Proof Studio registered as an NGO and set about organising

be seen), Artist Proof was initially modelled on a co-operative Berman

themselves more formally, taking on staff and providing bursary classes for first,

had worked with in Boston. At the time, there was very little of the kind

second and third year students. Artists continued to stream in from institutions

available in South Africa – ‘certainly not equipped studio spaces for black

such as FUNDA, FUBA, the Katlehong and Alexandra art centres, and the Rorke’s

artists,’ Berman recalls. Having been away, she knew few people locally,

Drift centre, so that Artist Proof became a ‘kind of tertiary education centre for

but Xaba was part of a network of artists, some of whom became founding

artists wanting to specialise in printmaking,’ says Berman.

members of the co-operative.

It soon became apparent that very few of the artists had any money,

Because funding was always tight – ‘one of our strengths was that we innovated a range of techniques with found materials, for example

and so Artist Proof adopted a system of bursaries. The first of these were

working on the back of plastic plates to develop collographs. This became

provided by the Centre for the Creative Arts (now the NAC), allowing ten

a kind of ‘African’ medium that we specialised in, which was suitable for

artists to work at the studio. Berman took a job at what was then the

our context as we didn’t have the money for etching plates,’ says Berman.

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Colbert Mashile, Mma waka Montedi

Phillemon Hlungwane, Xilo xi n’wana xi ni nkoba eka nw’winyi wa xona

The studio also began experimenting with papermaking, piloting a project

Recovering from the blow took a long time, but ‘in many ways,’

that she went on to pursue as a research area at the Technikon (now

she says, ‘we used the tragedy to mobilise the art community’. Berman

the University of Johannesburg). ‘I received research funding to build

travelled overseas to raise money, and the city provided a new space,

equipment, to design a beater to make cotton paper for printmaking,’ she

which the Ford Foundation assisted in fitting out and furnishing. ‘We

recalls. Papermaking took off at UJ, eventually becoming Phumani Paper, a

wanted to redesign the space as a centre of excellence for printmakers...

national papermaking programme.

and we had the opportunity of building a new organisation based on

In 2003, tragedy struck. While working towards a large solo exhibition, Nhlanhla Xaba was killed in a fire that consumed the President Street

applying the lessons of the first decade.’

The recovery period was a long one, but ‘well supported by the

warehouse. This, in itself, was devastating; in addition, the 100 or so

community,’ Berman says. On 9 March, exactly one year after the

artists then working at the studio lost their means of earning a livelihood.

fire, Artist Proof Studio reopened in Newtown. Today some 20 staff

‘Everybody had a drawer with all their plates and prints ... they lost their

members, 60 students, artists, and other collaborators are engaged

work as well as our colleague, friend and teacher,’ says Berman.

in printmaking and other programmes. These include Paper Prayers

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(a printmaking campaign which supports AIDS Awareness), youth development programmes, and numerous special projects that form links to corporate funding. Commission raised from these projects – training programmes, creating murals and so on – are used to fund programmes and students. ‘APS has a mission to become selfsufficient,’ says Berman. ‘We raise nearly 50% of our income or more through sales and contracts.’

This is aided by the studio’s Pro-Print Shop, home to state-of-the-art equipment that is used in collaborations between well-known artists and the studio’s team of professional technicians. ‘We published a portfolio last year called Nine Linos – almost two-metre by one-metre lino cuts – that were shown and sold at a fundraiser,’ notes Berman. In addition,

“ONE OF OUR STRENGTHS WAS THAT WE INNOVATED A RANGE OF TECHNIQUES WITH FOUND MATERIALS, FOR EXAMPLE WORKING ON THE BACK OF PLASTIC PLATES TO DEVELOP COLLOGRAPHS. THIS BECAME A KIND OF ‘AFRICAN’ MEDIUM THAT WE SPECIALISED IN, WHICH WAS SUITABLE FOR OUR CONTEXT AS WE DIDN’T HAVE THE MONEY FOR ETCHING PLATES.”

classic feel / 61

TITLE

Printing underway at Artist Proof Studios

William Kentridge published four prints with us and through the event,

big marketing opportunity for us, and we’re hoping to use the opportunity

hosted by our partner Mastrantonio, we raised enough to keep us going

to bring in different corporates, and have bi-monthly events,’ says Berman.

for the year.’

‘We’re going to make a big splash, try and consolidate our presence, and

Despite such success stories, the education unit will always need funding, and it is this that remains the heart of Artist Proof. ‘Our biggest success is to be able to graduate artists who are self-supporting,’ says

use the opportunity for exposure of wonderful established and emerging South African talent.’

The top floor of JAG, says Berman, will be installed to depict a history

Berman. ‘Good printmaking has a market; there is a niche for young, black,

of the studio, featuring different projects. Two of the main galleries in

up-and-coming artists’

the upstairs space will exhibit artists such as William Kentridge, Walter

Artist Proof Studio boasts some particularly notable success stories,

Oltmann, Kudzenai Chiurai, Paul Edmonds, Norman Catherine, and Diane

among them Phillemon Hlungwane, who has participated in numerous

Victor, who have been invited to create large prints with the Professional-

exhibitions, both group and solo shows, and has joined Everard Read’s

print studio. Also shown upstairs will be some retrospective work,

stable of artists. In 2009, Hlungwane was awarded an Ampersand

including prints by the founding members and artists from the studio’s early

Fellowship in New York. ‘He’s done incredibly well,’ says Berman. ‘He’s

days. ‘We’ve got old works of theirs, and they will make new work with

a role model and example for other artists that it’s possible to make it

us,’ says Berman. Filling the basement space, will be new work by Artist

despite a poor education.’ Hlungwane joined Artist Proof in 2000, and went

Proof staff and interns as well as emerging young talent drawn from the

on to work with the studio for the following decade. He ‘still does some

students. Although JAG does not sell art, work will be available for sale

teaching and mentoring,’ says Berman.

through the Artist Proof Studio, and new editions will be marketed on line.

In May, Artist Proof Studio will stage their largest exhibition yet, taking

At the age of 21, Artist Proof Studio has seen enough highs and

over the whole of the Johannesburg Art Gallery. This is planned to open in

lows to make for a compelling biography. This success story will fill the

May, nearly nine years after the devastating President Street fire and the

Johannesburg Art Gallery in a different form of ‘print’ – from May onwards.

loss of Xaba, and marking 21 years of evolution. ‘The JAG exhibition is a

Don’t miss it. CF

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The

Trinity Session ‘As fine artists... the logical space for us to work was in museums and galleries, and in 2000 there was very little of that. So we self-organised’. Steven Hobbs and Marcus Neustetter spoke to Natalie Watermeyer about the Trinity Session, Hobbs/Neustetter, and more than a decade of artistic collaboration. n the beginning, the Trinity Session had three – briefly, four – founding

Establishing a collective was also a reaction to a ‘boring’ art world,

members, all of whom shared a similar vision: to share resources and

he adds. ‘Today the art world has a very fixed agenda. It’s about increasing

intellectual property and to use collaboration as a strategy for artistic

the value of a select number of artists, and pandering to an international

and cultural survival.

economy of ideas. It’s very easy to watch how kids who go to art school

I

Today, the collective consists only of Hobbs and Neustetter,

graduate, get picked up by the galleries, and very quickly fall by the

and while the ‘artsministration’ is predominantly concerned with public

wayside if their stuff doesn’t quite fit a mould... or if they aren’t themselves

art (they have been appointed curators for public art for Johannesburg

programmed in whatever way to tap into that kind of global economic

until 2013), they have consciously never defined exactly what it is they

cultural aesthetic, whether that aesthetic is about post-colonialism, or

do, beyond the basic idea of making art open to ‘a business-oriented

conflict society issues, or identity politics, whatever... if you want to make

objective’. In other words, as Hobbs puts it, ‘how can you take creativity

work that doesn’t fit within those categories, and seems to have to fight

and spin it in an entrepreneurial way?’

for some sort of explanation every time, that’s very tedious.’

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Images and captions courtesy of The Trinity Session

In May last year, Hobbs/Neustetter worked in collaboration with a group of ten artists from Alexandra and six partner artists from Zimbabwe and Mozambique on an experimental intervention that looked at questions of xenophobia, border-crossing and contextual value systems. The first part entailed herding goats from Alexandra Township into Sandton Central.

A 30-minute intervention and photo shoot was done at the entrance of the Michelangelo Hotel. For the second part, the public were invited to an experimental multi-media performance event at the Alexandra Heritage Project. The incomplete building served as a stage and backdrop for music, performance, dance, poetry, live actions, stunt bikes and projections.

classic feel / 65

TITLE

Entracte is a post-performance film recorded during the Afropixel Festival May 2010, Dakar, Senegal.

Located in Zone A, Sicap, Maison 46 - standing for 10 years, was destined for demolition to make way for a new development. In collaboration with students from the École des Beaux Arts, in Dakar, a series of projection and performance scenes were developed as a reflection on the pathetic state of this building and the expectations of a new architecture to come. As a performance, Entracte responds to the unusual circumstances, where the predictable restrictions placed by western building standards, public health and safety and user regulations, for example, are bypassed by virtue of the experimental and opportunistic characteristics of perhaps less regulated urban situations. In this sense, Entracte or ‘intermission’, takes advantage of the gap in the narrative of urban planning, and reflects on the potential of the creative city in Africa.

Thus the Trinity Session has learnt to move between several worlds

And feeding into that is their work as individual artists. Hobbs focuses

– an approach that has meant that Hobbs and Neustetter have had to

primarily on the city of Johannesburg as an ‘evolving urban environment’,

learn to ‘speak the language’ of the business world, notes Neustetter. ‘And

initially documented through photography and film; more recently, these

that’s become really interesting over the years; our skill set has become

have served as reference material for sculpture and installations. ‘It’s

about that shift in language... we sit around boardroom tables with the City

all urban-focused and city-specific, but it’s no longer exclusively about

of Johannesburg and the JDA and have conversations around public art

Johannesburg, because the city is a melting pot for a lot of Africa,’ he says.

strategy, for example, [and then go] into a context like Mali or Dakar and

Neustetter has moved from pursuing the relationship between art

do interventions as artists – two very radically different ways of working’.

These two different aspects of their collaboration – as the Trinity

and technology – ‘web culture, the internet, interactive media, etc’, a preoccupation that inspired ‘pixel-based work, a lot of old printers printing

Session, and as Hobbs/Neustetter, in which they collaborate specifically

out a whole lot of garbage, interactive installations, things like that’ – to

as artists – are not altogether distinct. ‘Because we’re interested in public

the other end of the spectrum. He now seeks out ‘analog’ expressions

space questions as artists – not only as commissioning [agents]... when

of the same ideas, but with contrastingly low-tech media: drawing,

we go to these spaces as public art consultants, we bring that sensibility

performance, installations – ‘but now [the installations] don’t have

to the table,’ says Neustetter; ‘but we in turn are affected, as artists, by

technology embedded in them – they use glow-sticks from Chinatown, as

the experience of public space … So there’s always this give-and-take

opposed to LEDs that are connected to a computer that are triggered by

between the business model and the artistic pursuit.’

some sensor’.

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His interest in technology has also led to a fascination with science –

and dirty… the moment you step back and you go into Google, and you

a ‘vertical gaze’ that ‘zooms out’ to incorporate everything from astronomy:

zoom out – you get very comfortable when you look back and contemplate

‘the stars, how we relate ourselves to space... the notion of culture in

that. So for me it is about zooming in and out all the time, creating a bigger

outer space, and how we understand who we are now, here, if we’re

picture, and then immersing myself in the everyday, and getting my hands

looking out into outer space’, to archaeology. ‘“Looking” in my practise

dirty in that interaction.’

is something that translates or moves between archeology, astronomy,

‘It’s a very human project,’ says Hobbs. ‘If you think about magic

art – bringing in those scientific pursuits... I think it links very closely with

realism and a lot of fictional writing, authors who have found metaphors

what we’ve always been pursuing as artists in public space, as the Trinity

for looking at our seeming insignificance from a time-based point of view,

Session... questioning that “zooming in, zooming out” quality of what we

on planet earth, and then from a scale point of view, our impact on the

do. Because we work in Hillbrow, and because we work in the markets of

solar system or on the universe – We are specks within nanoseconds of

Bamako, where they’re busy hammering steel, and it’s very sweaty and hot,

time, right?… That idea of domesticating space is typically human, the

Another image from the ‘borderless intervention’ staged in Sandton

classic feel / 67

TITLE

A previous installation in April 2011 that could form part of the Review exhibition: The small town of St Pierre on the West coast of Martinique, bears an ever present history of the devastation of the town following major eruptions of Mount Pelée, in the early 1900s. This became the setting for Hobbs/Neustetter to create a temporary situation at the ruined site of the former theatre where drawings of the town as it was before the eruption were projected onto clouds of smoke, rising from the foundations of the stage floor. The resultant documentation was then transformed into a series of short video sequences projected in abandoned urban space in Forte de France.

idea of inhabiting things. And every time we try to inhabit something,

‘So we go out on a commission to do public art, and the context is a

we’re dealing with an issue of time or scale... so, if he’s drawing his

special environment. In that environment are forces that we don’t know

inspiration from science, archaeology and so forth, and mine is looking

about – Francophone immigrants here and a decaying suburb here; and

at cities as a manifestation of our human objectives, inside all of that

within that environment we’re thinking, well, what purpose does public

there has to be some kind of pathetic condition... we constantly have to

art serve, when you’ve got all these other forces around it? As the Trinity

maintain the things that we build – is that not a pathetic quest?’

Session, we do our job to make public art; but as Hobbs/Neustetter, we

As the Trinity Session, and as Hobbs/Neustetter, the two

walk away from the situation and go, “That was interesting, how do we

‘consciously looked to the public realm as the environment to present

make sense of that? How do we make sense of French-speaking Africans

ideas, and to understand better – because we live in a phenomenal

in a neighbourhood like Hillbrow, where we grew up and were born... that

social condition... You’ve got like 6000 universes within South Africa just

now doesn’t welcome us; or that’s the perception, it’s violent –’

to try to understand. So the challenge was to try and understand how our content would make sense, in the public domain. [But] when you go

‘Treats us as tourists’ Neustetter interjects. ‘ – we don’t accept that! That’s bulls-t’ says Hobbs. ‘We were born

into the public domain, you realise there are people who just don’t relate

in this environment... We’re not going to live in South Africa and be told

to what you’re on about at all. They’re interested in what their lives are

that it’s dangerous to go into this neighbourhood: as an artist, you would

about. That had a huge influence on the way that Marcus and I started to

die if you were constantly told that. And yet we live in a... national context

think about public space,’ says Hobbs.

where we are constantly being reminded that our public landscape is

68 / classic feel

threatening and dangerous and violent. And the more you get to know

happened to the building, or there’s a social network that’s doing

that public environment, and the more your experiences of that public

such phenomenal social work...’

environment demonstrate the contrary – surely there’s a story to tell, and you need to find a way to do that.

‘And our project – the Hobbes/Neustetter project – [is one]

‘Or there are simple strategies just to survive, that kind of a magic – the innovation that comes out of basic survival,’ says Neustetter.

In a sense, it is exactly this innovation, powered by an instinct

of strategic engagement with specific so-called dangerous or

for survival, that gave rise to the Trinity Session in the first place; and

unacceptable urban spaces, that have within them universes... you

with more than a decade behind them, in which they have created,

take the artistic way of seeing the world, and look for magic, or

commissioned or been involved in some way in more work than many

look for something special: Within a drug-lord run, decaying part

artists could contemplate in a lifetime, the Trinity Session is not only

of Hillbrow, there can’t possibly be any idea of hope or beauty or

surviving. It is thriving.

aesthetic or anything there, until you start scratching the surface;

The Trinity Session celebrates ten years of collaboration with Review,

and then you find there are people who have stories to tell, or the

on at 281 Commissioner Street in the Maboneng Precinct from Thursday 15

environment itself is interesting, because of the conversion that’s

March until Sunday 25 March and open from 19h00 – 22h00 daily. CF

During site research for an urban regeneration project on the border of Hillbrow, Central Johannesburg, Stephen Hobbs and Marcus Neustetter were confronted by two francophone immigrants who warned them that entering Hillbrow with their cameras was not safe. Drawing from the possibility that the artists may have been perceived as outsiders in their own city, Stephen Hobbs and Marcus Neustetter (for their contribution to the Dak’Art Biennale ‘Off’ Programme, 2006) interviewed a group of Senegalese immigrants, living in Hillbrow, and requested hand-drawn maps of the city which the artists would then use to connect with ‘their’ estranged colleagues and friends.

classic feel / 69

Armory Arts Week In March, New York will attract more than 60 000 art collectors and enthusiasts, all drawn by the annual Armory Arts Week.

60th Berlinale: Metropolis Transmission to the Brandenburg Gate

Josef Albers

Theaster Gates

Study for Homage to the Square: New Greens, 1963

6901 indexes.2 (3 Parts), 2011

Oil on masonite 61 x 61 cm

Wall sections from 6901 building, 2011

Courtesy Galerie Ludorff, Dusseldorf

Dimensions variable Courtesy of Kavi Gupta, CHICAGO | BERLIN

70 / classic feel

t the centre of the so-called Armory Arts Week is the Armory Show, established in 1994

A

by dealers unable to afford a show within the prestigious art fair held annually by the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA). Colin De Land, Pat Hearn, Matthew Marks and Paul Morris founded the event in the Gramercy Hotel, hiring out rooms to dealers and gallerists as venues for exhibitions, installations and screenings: both Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin took

part in early versions, allegedly selling work for under $10 000.

The event was a runaway success, and in 1999 moved to the 69th Regiment Armory – the site of the legendary 1913 Armory Show that introduced America to the best of cutting edge and avant garde European works of the times, including Marcel Duchamp’s Nude Descending a Staircase, along with other cubist,

fauvist and impressionist works, and garnering the usual derision with which such art was initially met.

‘This isn’t art!’ Theodore Roosevelt allegedly exclaimed.

AIR FRANCE IS A PROUD CARRIER TO M U S I C F E S T I VA L S AROUND THE WORLD

Although the ‘new’ event has subsequently moved to Piers 94 and 92 on the New York West Side, it continues to be known as the Armory Show; these days it attracts in excess of 60 000 visitors.

Eventually, its popularity prompted the prestigious ADAA fair to shift its dates to coincide with the

ARMORY SHOW GENERAL INFORMATION

Armory Show, and a plethora of other art fairs, exhibitions and events sprang up, now collectively

The Armory Show takes place at Pier 92 & 94,

known as the ‘Armory Arts Week’. This was formalised by the city three years ago, and includes a

Twelfth Avenue at 55th Street

series of art-related events held each night in different neighbourhoods and boroughs across New York,

New York City.

intended to draw attention to the thriving artistic communities to be found in the city. These include artist discussions, open studios, special receptions, art tours, and discounted admission to museums,

HOURS:

performances, panels and a multitude of parties. MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) has been involved for

Thursday, March 8 - Saturday,

over a decade, and will host the opening-night show preview and party – an event that has become an

March 10 Noon to 8 pm

important fundraiser in the museum’s calendar.

Sunday, March 11 Noon to 7 pm

The Armory Show itself has grown to encompass two components: Pier 92 is dedicated to the

TICKETS: These are available at the Box Office

‘historically significant’ modernist work that has inspired and informed the more contemporary work to be

during show hours.

found in Pier 94. Artists, dealers, curators and gallerists from across the globe take part, with some 220

TICKET PRICES:

exhibitors set to show work this March.

General Admission US $30

In addition, for the last few years the fair has also featured the ‘Armory Focus’, which highlights artists

Students US $10

and work presented by invited dealers and gallerists, all of whom are drawn from a region believed to be

Groups (10+) US $15

producing exciting yet under-represented work. For 2012, Jacob Fabricius, director of Malmö Konsthall,

Run of Show Pass (4 day) US $60

curates an exhibition of art represented by some 20 dealers selected from the Nordic countries – Denmark,

The Armory Show / Volta NY Pass US $40

Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. Chosen in part for its ‘vital presence in New York City’ (many Nordic

For more information about the Armory Show, visit

artists are represented by galleries in New York), this region lays claim to the likes of Finnish photographer

www.thearmoryshow.com

and video-artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila; Icelandic wunderkind Ragnar Kjartansson – known as both a pop star and a multi-disciplinary artist; and Danish sculptor and installation artist Olafur Eliasson.

For the past decade, the Armory Show has also commissioned an artist to provide material to be used in creating a visual identity for the show on a given year – past artists have included Karen Kilimnik, Barnaby Furnas, John Wesley, Pipilotti Rist, John Waters and Mary Heilmann, and Ewan Gibbs. The 2012 artist is sculptor, urban planner, and performance artist Theaster Gates, whose work will be used in all printed materials, including the exhibition catalogue, VIP brochure and bag.

Other events taking place during the Armory Art Week have in the past included Volta NY, Fountain Art Fair, Moving Image (which this year collaborates officially with the Armory Show), Scope, the Pool Art Fair and the Independent. This wealth of art fairs and events make New York the city for collectors and enthusiasts to visit in March – and just in time for the city’s famed St Patrick’s day celebrations... CF

Air france offers daily flights to Paris, with a choice of six onward connections to New York. For more details, contact Air France’s Sales and Service Centre in Johannesburg on 0861 340 340 or 011 528 8001 or visit www.airfrance.co.za.

ImpACT Award for Visual Art 2011: Mack Magagane The ImpACT Award for Visual Art is open to artists working in the mediums of painting and printmaking, sculpting, public installations, and photography. In 2011, it went to photographer Mack Magagane of the Market Photo Workshop.

Classicfeel spoke to him about his work and his latest accolade.

hotographer Mack Magagane, the 2011 winner of the ImpACT

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Magagane’s work so far has consisted of an exploration of urban

Award for Visual Art, was born in Soweto and raised in the

spaces, their relationship to the people who occupy them and how reality

Johannesburg suburb of Yeoville. He has studied photography

can be perceived in such a way that it verges on surrealism. ‘I love space,’

at the Market Photo Workshop since matriculating from high

he says, ‘the reality of it and the surrealism of it. So I would say that

school in 2008. ‘I was actually about to take a gap year,’ he says,

my work explores how spaces influence people, how space has its own

‘because I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. My sister told me about

definitions, its own history, its own personality. I also particularly love

the Market Photo Workshop and suggested that I go there. I had a vague

photographing at night – I love the theatrical, stylised feel that I’m able to

idea that I wanted to go into something like architecture. I hadn’t thought

get at night. Nighttime is a time when most people are indoors, relaxing

about photography as an art, but I tried it out and things have just taken off

with family or friends, but I get inspired to wander the streets and take

since then.’

photographs. Sure, Johannesburg is a dangerous city to be walking around

It appears that Magagane was blessed with an excellent eye and very quickly warmed to the art of photography. Before long he was catching the attention of critics, exhibitors and art aficionados, not only at home but

in at night, but I love the thrill of it. I like to take my camera and capture what’s happening on the streets.’

Drawing on these ideas, and working under the mentorship of

abroad as well. Aside from exhibiting at the Photo Workshop Gallery, the

acclaimed photographer Mikhael Subotzky, whom he credits as his

Bailey Seippel gallery and the FNB Joburg Art Fair, he was also invited to

biggest inspiration, Magagane created the body of work that has got him

show his work at the 2011 Photoquai Photography Festival in Paris.

noticed by the art community over the past year or so – Light Hours. ‘It’s

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FOU N D A T I O N

Light Hours: Enchanted

Light Hours: Ghost Ville

Light Hours: Safe

©MackMagagane

a body of work that explores how space is defined and how it defines us,’ he says, ‘how space is interpreted differently by different people. We

within certain spaces, but then put them in another place and suddenly

share this urban metropolis but we all occupy our own small, intimate

their whole attitude changes – they look uncomfortable or they hang on

spaces within that metropolis. I also wanted to look at matters regarding

to their possessions. This is an ongoing body of work that I’m trying to

security, economics and social development – which are so relevant

reconceptualise everyday. I’ve also moved away from photographing from

in Johannesburg. I really wanted to show how haunted Johannesburg

out-of-the-way, high-rise, protected areas, which I did on Light Hours.

actually is at night – it appears empty. In these pictures there are no

Then I was safe within a certain space where nobody could approach me

human subjects. It’s just these buildings, these snapshots of the city. It’s a

and say, “Give me your camera!” Now I’m actually opening up to these

study of the city itself as a character in its own right.’

dangers, I’m there on the street, photographing and anything could happen

Two of the artists who have had a strong influence in Magagane’s

at anytime. Whereas before, I was looking down at the city, now I’m on the

work are filmmakers rather than photographers: David Lynch and Alfred

street level and sometimes looking up at the very spot where I was safely

Hitchcock. Aside from his bizarre narratives and characters, Lynch is well

barricaded before. I’ve moved out of my comfort zone.

known for his sumptuous, if surreal, ‘painterly’ aesthetic, and Hitchcock’s

Last year was the second year running in which the ImpACT Award

Rear Window planted the conceptual seed for Light Hours. ‘It’s me looking

for Visual Art went to a photographer. For Magagane, the fact that he took

into other people’s spaces, into their lives and doings. I’ve debated that

the prize immediately after one of his inspirations– his close friend Musa

with myself – whether I’m being voyeuristic and whether that’s positive or

Nxumalo – makes the award that much more significant. ‘I never thought

negative – and I think it’s both. I may be offending some people, invading

of such a day. Musa got it in 2010 and when I heard that I had got it last

their privacy, but others might quite enjoy me looking into their lives.’

year, I just thought, Wow! This is the time for young artists to work hard

In his latest work, currently under development, Magagane is turning

and really make an impact. And being inspired by one and getting the same

the emphasis away from the myriad spaces of Johannesburg, to the people

acclaim – that was just so great for me. Also the fact that I’ve only been

who occupy them and the way in which they do so. ‘It’s about how people

doing photography for less than five years, but I’m already receiving such

interact within the city’s different spaces at night. People are comfortable

an honour, is just motivating and inspiring.’ CF

classic feel / 73

NEWS AND EVENTS

Meeting the new Canon EOS 7D photo by Axel Bührmann on Flickr

Photographers Only Photographers, whether they be professionals or simply enthusiasts, can rapidly amass a very expensive collection of equipment. Insuring this under the wrong policy can be a costly mistake.

hotographers may go to extreme lengths to get the perfect

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shot, risking life and limb (not always their own) and some very pricey equipment in the process. A popular YouTube post from 2008 shows a woman being tackled by her co-model – a lion – while posing for a magazine cover, leaving her with four

broken ribs, and also providing an excellent lesson in why photographers need public liability insurance (and better yet, Photoshop). While the lion chose to engage in a wrestling match with the model, some animals have been known to take on the equipment; a recent BBC documentary shows a suspicious polar bear destroying £130 000 worth of disguised film equipment in a matter of minutes.

With or without the involvement of wildlife, photographic equipment is often at risk. According to Artinsure’s Managing Director Gordon Massie, clients have been known to attach cameras to model airplanes in order to capture architectural elements, and regular airplanes for geological studies. Even while photographing relatively tame events such as weddings, bar mitzvahs and the family vacation, equipment may be faced with an extensive array of hazards – everything from drunken uncles armed with champagne, to the destructive curiosity of

74 / classic feel

small children, the light fingers of passing opportunists, and the perils presented by sand, sea and sun.

This can result in some expensive losses for both professional and enthusiast photographers, who spend vast amounts on not only cameras and lenses, but also a multitude of accessories – camera bags, tripods, memory cards... the list is endless, and the replacement value can quickly exceed R100 000. Much of this equipment is specifically designed to be portable, and is therefore very easy to steal; lenses and other sensitive parts make it easy to damage.

With so many risks facing such expensive possessions, insuring equipment under one’s household policy or by extending the ‘all risks’ section of one’s private insurance will ultimately prove an expensive mistake. ‘All risk’ is a somewhat misleading term; although it may cover goods removed from the house, it doesn’t usually cover items stolen while unattended – a camera left in the car, for example, or an expensive tripod or camera bag left for a few minutes while its owner climbs nearby rocks while capturing the sunset. It also doesn’t usually cover equipment used professionally.

Household insurance is equally inadequate, as it may not cover items used away from home. Moreover, both enthusiasts and professionals may require worldwide coverage, which domestic insurance is unlikely to offer – so photographers are likely to spend much of their trip nervously clutching their cameras rather than enjoying their holiday.

Moreover, household policies often set a limit on the amount paid out in cases of accidental damage, which, given how much that photographic equipment costs, can leave the client substantially out of pocket.

Professional photographers – and indeed the enthusiast who earns any income whatsoever from their photography – should note that domestic policies generally do not cover items meant for professional use, even if this is merely a sideline or an occasionally paying hobby. This is because equipment used professionally is likely to be used far more frequently, and is therefore perceived to be subject to greater risk.

Consequently, specialist insurance is advisable. Finding a lack of suitable products available in South Africa, Artinsure has pioneered insurance aimed at professionals and enthusiasts respectively, tailored to the particular needs of a client and with various extensions available as necessary. These include public liability insurance – while having a model attacked by a lion is relatively rare, there is always the possibility of cables tripping up wedding guests, and similar everyday accidents that can result in a hefty lawsuit. Another popular extension covers re-shoot costs: in the event that photographs taken during a shoot are irrecoverably lost due to faulty equipment or other day-to-day calamities, expenses incurred in originally taking the photographs (which may include flights to exotic locations, models, and so forth) will be insured.

Even so, it may be best to avoid bringing lions on set, be they ever so tame. CF

classic feel / 75

It’s all fun and games until you fold a protein Recently, and much to the chagrin of my good lady, I have become mildly

damage to soldiers (the only comparable activity being gym in excess of 6 hours

addicted to gaming – specifically on Microsoft’s Xbox console. Appeals

a day). Finally, countries where gaming is prevalent show falling rates of violent

to my sense of reason from said good lady, as well as snide suggestions

crime. This information comes principally from researcher Jane McGonigal,

that I am ‘too old,’ or ‘wasting my time’ have had as little impact on me as

PhD, who specialises in developing alternate reality games. Her web site http://

accusations of tender irregularities have on a corrupt politician. If you think

janemcgonigal.com is worth reading if the subject interests you.

you’re too old for a game, you’re not. The thing that’s making you too old is thinking you’re too old, so keep reading!

In a past issue (‘Hanging it all together’), I described how to get all of

Computer games have been around for decades, originally starting out as crude and simple two-dimensional renditions of games like table tennis.

As computing power improved, however, so did the complexity and realism

your audiovisual entertainment toys to talk to each other. A gaming console

of those games. Today, games such as Microsoft’s Gears of War have

plugs neatly into that set up, usually via a HDMI cable, and allows you

photo-realistic cut sequences that lead the player through the game almost

to experience the game in its full glory. Before we continue, though, let’s

as if the player were a character in movie. Games are serious money, too;

dispel a few myths about games and gaming, and look at some history.

Call of Duty had revenues of $1 billion in its first two weeks. With a billion

Research has shown a remarkable number of interesting outcomes and facts related to gaming. For instance, ADHD symptoms are significantly reduced

gamers world-wide, the gaming industry is a behemoth!

One of the latest application design trends, and indeed a trend in

in children that are gamers, as games train people to pay attention and remain

process management itself, is called ‘gamification.’ Gamification is the

committed to goals. Since gamers spend up to 80% of the time failing, games

process of using game design principles to engage audiences and solve

teach children not to fear failure and to remain motivated in the face of failure.

problems. Precisely because the techniques used in gaming are so engaging,

Gamers with Autism show increased social intelligence, and playing casual

many of them are very applicable when companies want to interact

games outperforms pharmaceuticals in healing effects for women suffering

with their customers in unique and novel ways. By providing electronic

from depression and anxiety. Additionally, social gamers are more likely to help

‘achievements,’ ‘badges’ and other rewards for interaction, companies

other people in the real world. Furthermore, games generate many positive

gain more relevant insight into the behaviour of their consumers, and the

emotions, such as creativity, contentment, awe, excitement, curiosity, pride, relief

consumers in turn engage with their brands in a fun and interactive manner.

and joy. Practically speaking, the US Army uses games to reduce psychological

Although several of the concepts embodied in gamification have been around

76 / classic feel

T JW 60 16 9

for many years (a rose by any other name), the formalisation of this practice as a concept has allowed it to flourish. In fact, Gartner, the research house, predicts that by 2015 more than 50% of organisations will enhance their processes with gamification (Gartner press release, April 12, 2011). One of the most interesting applications today is a web site called http://fold. it, which asks people to use their spare time to play a game that solves a puzzle: folding proteins. Since protein shapes are the determinant of both disease and cure, this effort holds much promise for finding new and novel cures for diseases such as HIV. Enough about the boring science stuff, though! The real fun in gaming comes down to you (and hopefully your partner, but that depends on the sincerity of the convincing session), in front of your TV, enjoying some of the escapism the kids have been getting for years. The catalyst for bringing the adults back into the gaming world was probably the Nintendo Wii (simply pronounced ‘we’). Effectively, Nintendo made the graphics really simple, but included motion sensing controllers that replicate your movements into the virtual environment of the game. If you hold the controller and execute a tennis serve, your character does the same on screen. The rest is history, and many a vase, ornament, or glass of wine has suffered an unfortunate end due to the vigorous arm swinging that ensues! Today there are three gaming consoles that dominate the market: Nintendo’s Wii, Sony’s PlayStation, and Microsoft’s Xbox. Each system has its pros and cons, but generally all have excellent games available, and all integrate to some extent into your existing audiovisual environment. Wii has simplicity and engaging gameplay, whilst Sony has the advantage of including a Blu-ray player with the console. I want to highlight Microsoft’s Kinect, though, as probably the most innovative new gaming innovation in recent times. The Kinect, which now holds the honour of being the fastest selling consumer product of all time, is a truly amazing piece of technology that partners with the company’s Xbox console. Featuring a camera that works in colour and infrared, a microphone array, and a laser based depth sensor, the Kinect is able to recognise faces, gestures, speech, and distance. In practice, this means that you interact with the game console simply by moving your body. Skiing games involve leaning, crouching, leaping, and frantic acceleration using the ski poles that you are (virtually) holding. The experience is nothing short of amazing, and has to be experienced to be believed. The differentiator that Kinect has over every other console is that there is no need to learn how to use a game controller, traditionally a barrier for casual players. Additionally, the Xbox ecosystem integrates neatly into the latest generation of mobile phones using the ‘Windows Phone’ operating system, which to a large extent allows you to take the gaming experience mobile!

My lady and I almost caused ourselves an injury laughing whilst playing Dance Central (I will leave the visuals to your imagination). It’s embarrassing, but it’s also a whole new level of fun – try it!

s s. dow nie , Win compa s oft ark ros up of m ic e M gro trad ed. erv rosoft ay be res d. hts the Mic erein m rve ig e r s h ll f e ts r n. A ks o ioned righ oratio emar ent . All rp rad es m ers. okia oft Co are t m N a n n o w ros 011 ny log eo © 2 011 Mic dows compa spectiv in © 2 the W uct and their re and rod es of er p m Oth adena r or t

classic chefs Peter Tempelhoff, Group Executive Chef for The Collection by Liz McGrath, and Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef.

As Executive Chef for The Collection

by Liz McGrath, Peter Tempelhoff oversees some of the best kitchens in the country. Last year, he became the first South African chef to receive the title of Relais & Chateau Grand Chef, placing him among some of the finest culinary artists in the world.

Why did you become a chef, and how did you learn your art?

I started my training as a chef at the tender age of 26. My career was at a crossroads, I had to decide to either study and end up in a job I hated or follow my heart and start cooking professionally, as I loved doing it as a pastime. I moved to the Cape from Durban and studied in Stellenbosch for two years, after graduation I worked in South Africa for another year and a half, after which I made the best move I could have, and settled in England.

For seven years I worked as hard as I could to learn as much as I could in the best kitchens I could get jobs in, knowing one day that I would return home to South Africa to ply my trade.

Describe your approach to cooking.

It is fairly simple… Either it is perfect, or it is in the bin! When we cook we focus on the details, as that is the difference between being successful and falling short.

What trends in cooking have you noticed recently?

This year sustainability is a hot topic, with the fading of molecular gastronomy and the slowing of the foraging movement, the protection of our oceans and the environment for future generations is critically important.

78 / classic feel

CLASSIC CHEFS

Name three tools no kitchen should be without.

A food processor, a vacuum packing machine and a sharp knife.

What are some of your favourite ingredients at the moment, and why?

Right now we are using a lot of transglutaminase or meat glue, artichokes and sustainable fish like hake. Meat glue has a multitude of uses- it is a natural activia enzyme which bonds proteins- so we can glue meat together and not have as many scrappy wasted bits. Artichokes are in season now, and hake is so underrated it is not funny - right now we are serving it with tongue, red wine sauce, bean purée and lemon marmalade.

The most common mistake people make when cooking is...

Not tasting the food is the biggest mistake by any cook.

For a dinner party for some of my favourite people, I would make...

Braai – socialising with friends is no time to show off cooking skills Two guests I would love to have at a dinner party are...

Dalai Lama and John F. Kennedy because… imagine the dinner conversation!

Describe the best meal you have ever eaten?

I have had two standouts, the first was one cooked by Raymond Blanc, it was the dinner which made me realise that cooking was the right direction for me. And the other was at a small 12-seat restaurant in Tokyo. Words cant explain the intricate attention to detail, the passion of the one chef and his server wife… it was a revelation.

Describe the most disastrous meal you have ever prepared or your most disastrous day in the kitchen.

We have had a few kitchen disasters – it is a thing I successfully try to forget. But once I tried to combine basil and coffee – it was just horrible!

What would you describe as your trademark dish and why?

The hake dish I mentioned is what my cooking aspires to… Sourdough crusted hake with white bean puree, tongue and caper vinaigrette, slow cooked abalone, lemon marmalade and red wine butter sauce. The combination seems weird, but it works like a fantasy. CF

classic feel / 79

CLASSIC NOUVEAU CINEMA CHEFS

Take Shelter Director: Jeff Nichols

Cast: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Toya Stewart, Katy Mixon From rising independent writer and director Jeff Nichols comes a powerful drama that explores the fine line between precognition and paranoia. Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) lives in a small Ohio town with his wife Samantha (Jessica Chastain) and six-year-old daughter Hannah (Toya Stewart), who is deaf. Curtis makes a modest living as a crew chief for a sand-mining company. Samantha is a stay-at-home mother and part-time seamstress who supplements their income by selling handmade wares at the flea market each weekend. Money is tight, and navigating Hannah’s healthcare and special needs education is a constant struggle. Despite that, Curtis and Samantha are very much in love and their family is a happy one.

Then Curtis begins to be disturbed by a series of apocalyptic visions – of storms and plagues of biblical proportions. Convinced that these visions portend the coming of some devastating catastrophe, he obsessively sets about building an elaborate tornado shelter in his backyard for himself, Samantha and Hannah. Faced with the doubt and derision of his family and neighbours, he continues his work Noah-like, until the project jeopardises his relationship with his wife. For Curtis, his visions are either harbingers of some supernatural storm or early symptoms of an affliction he has feared his entire life. The question for him becomes, what is he protecting his family from, a storm or himself?

Nichols said of the film, ‘I wrote Take Shelter because I believed there was a feeling out in the world that was palpable. It was an anxiety that was very real in my life, and I had the notion it was very real in the lives of other Americans as well as other people around the world. This film was a way for me to talk about that fear and that anxiety. I hope there is an answer to this feeling by the end of the film. I believe there is, and it’s the reason that this wonderful group of people came together to help me make Take Shelter.’

80 / classic feel

13VL

AT CINEMAS 9 MARCH 2012

TONY BENNETT – BEST OF THE IMPROV RECORDINGS Universal/ Concord Records

In the decade between the end of World War II and the advent of rock and roll, Tony Bennett emerged as one of the premier pop singers of his generation – the heir apparent to figures like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and other iconic balladeers whose versatile and engaging vocal styles had already translated to huge successes in the 1930s and 1940s. Despite his popularity in the post-war era, Bennett had grown restless by the 1970s. The time had come for him to explore something new –preferably on his own terms, and in an environment of his own making. After more than 15 years on Columbia, Bennett struck out on his own and launched Improv Records, a label that lasted only a couple of years but generated several recordings during the mid-1970s.

Concord Records gathers 16 tracks from his brief period on Improv into a single collection, Tony Bennett: The Best of the Improv Recordings, released to celebrate Bennett’s 85th birthday.

CDs – new and exciting

The latest musical releases to suit all tastes

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL -

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA – AREA 52

KATIE MELUA – SECRET SYMPHONY

GOLD

ATO Records

EMI/ Dramatico

Universal

The latest release by the sensational guitar

Melua’s fifth studio album is a collection of

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s popularity

duo, Area 52 contains nine of Rodrigo and

songs that perfectly showcases that unique,

endures 40 years after they disbanded, not

Gabriela’s favourite songs from their own

instantly recognisable voice. These include

only in their homeland but here in South Africa

catalogue rearranged and reconfigured for a

Francoise Hardy’s ‘All Over The World’ and

too. Numerous ‘best of’ collections have been

13-piece Cuban orchestra comprised of some

Jimmie Cox’s ‘Nobody Knows You’. Melua has

released over the years. This is one of the

of Havana’s finest young players, collectively

also written her own song ‘Forgetting All My

most comprehensive and definitive. Among

known as C.U.B.A. This two-disc set includes

Troubles’, and she teams up with manager and

the 41 tracks on the collection are ‘Bad Moon

a 30-minute ‘making-of’ documentary on DVD.

producer Mike Batt on ‘Heartstrings’ and ‘Lone

Rising’, ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’, ‘Proud

Area 52 was mixed by Rafa Sardina, one

Wolf’. Batt also contributes the title track, ‘The

Mary’ and ‘Down on the Corner’. A great

of the leading studio musicians in the Latin

Walls Of The World’, ‘Better Than A Dream’

memento of the golden age of rock.

music world, and arranged by London-based

and ‘The Bit That I Don’t Get’.

pianist, composer and arranger Alex Wilson.

82 / classic feel

ANGELA GHEORGHIU – HOMAGE TO MARIA CALLAS: FAVOURITE OPERA ARIAS EMI Classics

‘Callas was original in everything she did: she was a phenomenon.’ So Angela Gheorghiu says in the sleeve notes of this tribute by one great soprano to another. Homage to Maria Callas is a collection of beloved French and Italian operatic masterpieces performed by Gheorghiu, a defining diva of this century. This collection is inspired by the career and recordings from 50 years earlier of Maria Callas, the greatest diva of the previous century. These arias are the shared favourites of both Callas and Gheorghiu, and Gheorghiu’s new recording demonstrates her extraordinary vocal and emotional range once again. Although Gheorghiu has recorded several complete operas, Homage to Maria Callas marks her first studio recital in six years. In it, she not only pays homage to Callas but also provides an allround view of her own career so far.

YUNDI – THE RED PIANO

ANTHONY HOPKINS – COMPOSER

JOHN WILLIAMS – WAR HORSE

EMI Classics

Classic FM

ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

After his triumphs in the works of Western

Most people know Anthony Hopkins as one of

Sony Classical

composers such as Chopin, Yundi turns to

the finest actors of his generation. Unknown

The longstanding collaboration between

music of iconic status in his native China.

to many until now is that he is also an

director Steven Spielberg and his favourite

Lavishly deploying folk melodies, and evoking

accomplished composer. From the age of six,

composer, John Williams continues with the

epic vistas, the Yellow River Piano Concerto

he dreamt of being a musician and composer.

highly anticipated production of War Horse,

– a flower of Chairman Mao’s Cultural

His passion for composing classical music

the story that took British stages by storm and

Revolution – has its source in a patriotic

has since evolved, and he is now debuting his

that has now hit screens around the world.

cantata, composed in 1939 by Paris-trained

first album – Composer, a range of classical

Spielberg himself said of Williams’ score: ‘The

Xian Xinghai. Complementing the concerto

pieces composed by the man himself. Each

dramatic countryside of Dartmoor has inspired

are evocative arrangements of favourite

piece has a story behind it and bears a

John to compose a score of such beauty and

songs that show Yundi at his most personal

personal connection to Sir Anthony Hopkins.

quiet majesty that one might think the earth is speaking through him… The music is a

and beguiling.

standalone experience that affected me deeply.’

MIKHAIL SIMONYAN/ KRISTJAN JÄRVI – KHACHATURIAN/ BARBER: TWO SOULS Deutsche Grammophon

Together with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kristjan Järvi, Russian violinist Mikhail Simonyan tackles two great 20th Century violin concertos, by Khachaturian and Barber respectively. These pieces are tailor-made for the young virtuoso, but according to Simonyan, the focus is not on showing off his skills as a soloist: ‘I try to make these concertos sound less “violinistic” and to bring out qualities that represent their country’s culture or folklore.’

classic feel / 83

BOOKS

MAPPING SOUTH AFRICA | Andrew Duminy Published by Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd

Mapping South Africa will be welcomed as a landmark in providing the first survey of the fascinating story of maps and mapmaking in the subcontinent. Beginning with the Portuguese voyages of exploration in the late 15th century, the book explores the attempts of the Dutch and then of the British to chart and lay claim to the vast and expanding landscape of the Cape Colony. In colonial Natal and the Boer Republics of the Transvaal and Free State, cartography was driven, on the other hand, by the dictates of colonisation and land exploitation. New heights in the mapping of South Africa were reached as a result of the Anglo-Boer War and of laborious trigonometrical survey work that began at this time. It set new standards that would be extended and consolidated after Union in 1910. Throughout the book the author reveals an appreciation of the close relation between science, exploration and cartography and gives due prominence to the role played by individuals as well as institutions in producing maps of increasing accuracy and detail. Mapping South Africa will long remain a standard work of its kind, appreciated for its informative text and for the beautiful reproductions it contains of some 85 maps.

ORIGINS: SONG OF NOOITGEDACHT,

DIESEL AND DUST | By Obie Oberholzer

FACES AND PLACES -

A REMOTE VALLEY IN THE KAROO

Published by Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY

Author & Photographer:

With Diesel and Dust Obie Oberholzer,

| Jack Halfon

Jennifer Gough-Cooper

veteran lens man and arch raconteur,

Published by Jack Halfon Publications

Publisher: Wild Almond Press cc and Publishing Print

legendary South African photographer,

Faces and Places is a captivating and

Matters (Pty) Ltd

former fine arts photography lecturer

enigmatic monochrome depiction of people in

Jennifer Gough-Cooper reveals the creation

and vibrant and colourful traveler, offers

their organic, natural environment. Halfon’s

of a quintessentially South African landscape.

visually stimulating images of Africa and

snapshots provoke endless questions about

These remarkable photographs, taken with

a multifaceted view of the continent in

the circumstances under which the photograph

35mm negative film, are the result of her close

a collection that is at once a history, a

was taken and the life and thoughts of the

observation of nature and of place, offering

meditation, a travel memoir, and a tribute.

subjects. Jack Halfon has found his niche

us a reflective journey back in time. From her

The title of the book comes from an album

presenting photographs as art with an old

first visit to the valley in 2002, Gough-Cooper

by 1980s Australian rock band, Midnight

world feel, with a density of expression and

was captivated by this tranquil landscape

Oil. ‘The picture on the cover of that record

raw human emotion. Capturing a place with

with its majestic mountains, great vistas, its

just seemed ideal to me,’ Oberholzer said

the right light and composition to tell an

transparent streams, turbulent floodwaters

at the launch of the book. The photos in

emotive and complete story in the space of

and the exquisite detail of its rocks and flora.

Oberholzer’s book embody his ‘Diesel & Dust’

a single photograph is a gift he shares with

The photographs in this volume are presented

philosophy of freedom: ‘Freedom is getting

us in his book. His seasoned photographic

in the spirit of a song evoking these natural

into your car and travelling without really

skill and his wisdom about life, marriage,

treasures in tempo with the slow cycles of

knowing what your end destination will be.

relationships and charity, combine to imbue

infinite time at Nooitgedacht: a place truly

Freedom is having one arm that is more

his photographs with tremendous depth and

beyond imagination.

tanned than the other!’

layers of meaning.

84 / classic feel

BOOKS

CHARLES DICKENS | By Michael Slater ISBN 978-0-300-17093-1 | Yale University Press

This long-awaited biography uncovers Dickens the man through the profession in which he excelled.

Drawing on a lifetime’s study of this prodigiously brilliant figure, Michael Slater explores the personal and emotional life, the high-profile public activities, the relentless travel, the charitable works, the amateur theatricals and the astonishing productivity. But the core focus is Dickens’ career as a professional writer, covering not only his big novels but also his phenomenal output of other writing – letters, journalism, shorter fiction, plays, verses, essays, writings for children, travel books, speeches, and scripts for his public readings, and the relationships among them. Slater’s account illuminates the context of each of the great novels while locating the life of the author within the imagination that created them. It highlights Dickens’ boundless energy, his passion for order and fascination with disorder, his organisational genius, his deep concern for the poor and outrage at indifference towards them, his susceptibility towards young women, his love of Christmas and fairy tales, and his hatred of tyranny.

FAMILIES AND OTHER NONRETURNABLE

CUSTODY | By Manju Kapur

HEADHUNTERS | Jo Nesbø

GIFTS | By Claire LaZebnik

Faber and Faber | ISBN: 9780571274024

Random House | ISBN: 9781846555930

Hachette Book Group | ISBN 978-0-446-55502-9

An intimate portrait of marriage and

Roger Brown has it all. He’s the country’s most

Despite her name, Keats Sedlak is the sanest

family. When Shagun leaves her husband

successful headhunter. He has a beautiful

person in her large, nutty family of brilliant

Raman for another man, a bitter legal

wife and a magnificent house. He’s also an

eccentrics. At least she can count on one

battle ensues. The custody of their two

accomplished art thief. At a gallery opening,

person in her life, her devoted boyfriend Tom.

young children is at stake – and Shagun

his wife introduces him to Clas Greve. Greve is

Down-to-earth and loving, he’s the one thing

must decide what price she will pay for

the perfect candidate for a position with one

that’s kept Keats grounded for the last decade.

freedom. Raman’s new wife is unable to

of Roger’s clients, and is also in possession of

But when Keats’s mother makes a surprise

have children of her own, and finds another

The Calydonian Boar Hunt by Rubens, one of

announcement, the entire family is sent into a

chance of happiness as a stepmother. But

the most sought-after paintings in the world.

tailspin. Now Keats must reevaluate everything

when the courts threaten the security of her

Roger sees his chance to be rich beyond his

she’s ever assumed about herself and her

new family, she decides she must fight for

wildest dreams and starts planning his boldest

family and make the biggest decision of her life.

it – whatever the cost.

heist yet.

classic feel / 85

exclusive Classicfeel & UK Grammophone magazine bundle GET THE UK’S #1 CLASSICAL MUSIC MAGAZINE WITH SA’S #1 ARTS AND CULTURE MAGAZINE Classicfeel’s bundle subscription option is ideal for the classical music connoisseur. If you choose this option, then, for only R110 per month, or R595 for six months, or R1180 for a year, you will receive the latest edition of Grammophone magazine – each newly imported from the UK – with each of copy of Classicfeel. Established in 1923, Gramophone has been at the heart of the classical record scene for almost 90 years, offering guidance and considered critical opinion for nearly 90 years. Its reputation has spread far beyond its home country and it has become known as the best classical music review in the world. For the dedicated classical music lover, it is the perfect supplement to Classicfeel.

Please note, this bundle replaces the one previously available, which included the UK ClassicFM magazine.

Subscribe for a year (11 issues), save, and stand a chance to win Judith Sephuma’s new album, I am a living testimony!

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classic feel / 87

encore Kim Berman is an Associate Professor in Visual Art at the University of Johannesburg, Executive Director of Artist Proof Studio (APS) and a printmaker. Her research interest is community based research, and she has been involved in various community programmes including initiating Phumani Paper, the Archival Paper Mill at UJ; Paper Prayers, an HIV/AIDS awareness and action campaign managed by APS; and community service learning and research projects for students.

Name three artworks that you love and why.

degradation of our national heritage is scandalous . The national funding

Difficult to choose three. Goya’s Disasters and miniature paintings on ivory;

bodies still have not adopted sustainable funding policies.

Rembrandt’s self portraits; Vermeer’s contemplative paintings like The Concert – I used to visit at the Gardner Museum when I lived in Boston; Anselm Kiefer’s

Name one thing you think would improve the arts and culture

paintings of desecrated or loaded landscapes; William Kentridge – The Black

industry in South Africa.

Box, The Magic Flute, Tide Table or any of his animated work; Woyzeck on

Sharing best practice, learning from each other, sustainable organisational

the Highveld with the Handspring Puppet Company; Gerhard Marx’s recent

funding. Support for artists and art institutions by our national funding bodies.

exhibition of his remarkable constructed skulls from miniscule plants in the Life of Bone exhibition at Origins Museum, Philip Miller’s Rewind cantata. These

What is your most treasured possession?

are works among many that move me profoundly

My etching press. I also have wonderful artworks, beautiful engraving tools and books.

Name one artiste you would love to meet.

I love encountering the passion of many artists, and creative people. I find the

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

sharing of their passion inspiring. Sibongile Khumalo is one that comes to mind.

I don’t know… I don’t think I have been there.

What are you reading at the moment?

What is it that makes you happy?

I just received Jerusalem: the Biography by Simon Sebag Montefiore as a gift,

Spending time with my partner, dogs, friends and family, and working in my

I’ve just read Karen von Veh’s wonderful essay on Diane Victor’s new catalogue,

studio. The success of my students – witnessing young graduates realising

I have started Birth by Peter Harris, and the four volumes of Visual Century

their dreams.

keep distracting me. I’m also reading my sister’s remarkable PhD thesis Describe a defining moment in your life.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Many… When I witnessed the AIDS quilt being unveiled in Washington in

To be more available to people and not be so busy, and to make more

1990, when Nelson Mandela was released from prison, participating as an

time to read.

observer in the first democratic elections in Brits, learning printmaking.

How have the arts industries in South Africa changed over the last

Name one goal you would like to achieve in the next twelve months.

ten years?

A successful APS Retrospective exhibition, making new artwork,

Significantly. The SETAS were very important for stability and quality

co-editing an APS retrospective catalogue, completing our joint book:

training for arts programs. That has collapsed. The JAG and many of our

Women on Purpose: the resilience and creativity of the founding women

museums are in trouble because of financial neglect by the state… this

of Phumani Paper. CF

88 / classic feel

Discover the scenic splendour of the “Cape Garden Route” from Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay and enjoy the unique hospitality of three owner-managed luxury hotels.

THE CELLARS-HOHENORT Home to Cape Town’s first Grand Chef, Peter Tempelhoff, and South Africa’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’.

THE MARINE The best land based whale watching in the World – from your own suite...

THE PLETTENBERG Panoramic views over the pristine and endless beaches of Plettenberg Bay, South Africa’s finest.

C O M B I N AT I O N O F F E R S

7

Stay nights and only pay for

5

Stay nights and only pay for

5

www.collectionmcgrath.com

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4

reservations@collectionmcgrath.com

These offers are: • Applicable across all three of the hotels with no minimum night stay at each and valid for any category of room booked • Valid for travel 15 January to 19 December 2012 • Not combinable with any other offers • Subject to availability and may change without prior notification

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central reservations +27 21 794 5535

90 / classic feel