| Go French for Women's Day |
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| Written by Lucille Davie | |
| Thursday, 24 July 2008 | |
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The world premiere of In Paradisum will be performed by the Rand Symphony Orchestra, which is exploring French composers and Francophone music to celebrate Women's Day. 
The Wits Great Hall, where Soiree de Francophony will be performed
DO something grand and French for the Women's Day weekend – go to the Soiree de Francophony at Wits for a great musical afternoon. You'll enjoy several hours of music by French composers and Francophone music, with the composition Requiem for the Living played by the Rand Symphony Orchestra. "Soiree de Francophony is also a celebration of female success within the realm of orchestral conducting and symphonic composition, showcasing rising and celebrated artiste, Rexleigh Bunyard, who takes up the conductor's baton," states the press release. The programme features the world premiere of the excerpt In Paradisum of Bunyard's composition Requiem for the Living, composed for her son, Bernard Boekkooi, a boy soprano. He will sing a solo in this item. Choral pieces will be sung by the Black Tie Opera Chorus. The soprano soloist is Goitsemang Lehobye, a member of the chorus. The requiem is an avant-garde composition, originally inspired by the plight of children orphaned by the Aids pandemic. Requiems are traditionally odes to the dead. In Paradisum is a duet for mother and child, accompanied by the harp, French horn and celeste, which is a keyboard instrument; these are instruments that are associated with colourism, or impressionism in music, in French music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To support the French theme, the programme incorporates works of French composers. You'll hear Satie's Parade; Cécile Chaminade's Flute Concertino Op 107, played by Isabel Bradley; Camille Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No 5, Op 103, played by Heloise Murduch; and Emmanuel Chabrier's Joyeuse Marche. The concert is a Rand Symphony Orchestra fundraiser. The orchestra is a not-for-profit amateur orchestra focused on developing classical music, youth development and classical music awareness. A portion of the takings will go to the Siyakhana Food Garden, urban food gardens that create employment and develop skills. It takes place on Sunday, 10 August at the Wits Great Hall, on the University of the Witwatersrand's east campus in Braamfontein, at 4pm. Tickets are R100, available at Computicket, on 083 915 8000 or 011 340 8000, or through the Computicket website. For more information contact Simone Heradien on 073 931 0001 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Related stories: |
