Conductor Kirill Karabits was recently honoured with an Honorary OBE by King Charles in recognition of his service to and promotion of symphonic music. PICTURE: Konrad Cwik
The Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra (MNPO) will perform on Wednesday December 4 at the City Hall in the Cape Town city centre as part of their national 2024 tour, entitled Rhythms of Hope.
The concert will be conducted by the world-renowned Ukrainian maestro Kirill Karabits, the outgoing chief conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
The orchestra’s tour celebrates hope across the country as South Africa marks 30 years of democracy.
The concerts will open with a world premiere of the uShaka iLembe Suite composed by South African Philip Miller and featuring vocalist Mbuso Khoza with soprano Ann Masina. The first half ends with Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with South African Leo Gevisser at the piano. After interval, the grand symphonic suite Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov will be performed, led by the MNPO concertmaster, Sarah Oates.
There are several satellite events happening around the concert. In Cape Town, as part of their community engagement programme, the Mzansi Philharmonic will perform and engage with over 300 pupils at the Athlone School for the Blind in Bellville.
The MNPO will welcome French luthier Antoine Gourdon to South Africa towards the end of November. A violin maker based in Newark-on-Trent in the UK where he also teaches at the International School of Violin Making, Gourdon will live-make a violin throughout the course of the tour, ultimately presenting it to a deserving candidate at the Cape Town concert.
The public can observe the luthiers at work in the City Hall foyer on Monday December 2, Tuesday December 3 and Wednesday December 4 from 10am to 5pm to interact with the luthiers and learn more about their craft. Those keen to take orchestral stringed instruments in for a consultation must make an appointment via info@mzansiphilharmonic.org.za
Tickets for the performance on Wednesday December 4 cost from R150 to R450 through Quicket.