Over twenty
pianists feature in online Thanksgiving concert
On Wednesday 27
May the Piano Passion Project is organizing a thanksgiving concert in aid of
the Denis Hurley Centre. The
Thanksgiving concert will feature an impressive 20 pianists coming from South
Africa, but also from the UK, USA and The Netherlands. The event forms part of
the weekly UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music and iSupport Creative
Business’ Music Unlocked Sessions. Tickets are R80 each and available on
Webtickets, with the option for patrons to donate more.
The COVID-19 virus became all too real for
the pianists in the Piano Passion Project recently, when their former teacher,
friend, mentor and colleague in the Project, Prof Darius Brubeck became
afflicted with the virus, and found himself on a ventilator in intensive care,
with doctors giving him a 50/50 chance of survival. For his wife Cathy, the
experience was understandably traumatic, and exacerbated by then having to
quarantine herself. But thankfully, Darius has survived and continues to make
steady recovery, now back home and happily reunited with Cathy.
Darius’ recovery is not the only ray of
light though, when one surveys the devastation that the virus continues to
leave in its wake. From early on, the human story of volunteers and organizations
of all manner, mobilizing and working together to take care of the most
vulnerable in our communities was truly inspiring. One such organisation is the
Denis Hurley Centre that continues to feed and care for Durban’s homeless.
Given Darius’ miraculous recovery, and the
obvious financial need in our communities, the Piano Passions Project found a fund-raising
thanksgiving concert was in order. The obvious restriction is the current
social distancing measures. So, they opted for an online concert, of
prerecorded piano performances created especially for the event. The concert
will be 2 hours in duration, featuring the wealth of piano talent that is in
some way, part of Darius’ legacy here in KZN. The roster of pianists, features
legendary pianists such as Melvin Peters, Burton Naidoo, Andile Yenana, Susan
Barry, Sibusiso Mashiloane, Neil Gonsales and Nduduzo Makhathini, bringing a
set of around 5 minutes each.
Please refer enquiries to Thulile Zama. zamat1@ukzn.ac.za
_____-
Event details:
Music Unlocked Sessions: thanksgiving edition
Feat: 20 Piano Passions Pianists
Wednesday 27 May
Concert link will be send at 6pm
Tickets: R80 – available on www.webtickets.co.za
Option available to donate more
Featured pianists:
Melvin Peters
Burton Naidoo
Debbie Mari
Nishlyn Ramanna(UK)
Andile Yenana
Neil
Gonsalves
Mark
Kilian(US)
Shemual
Mahabeer
Sibusiso
Mashiloane
Lungelo Ngcobo
John Edwards
Nduduzo
Makhathini
Lindi Ngonelo
Zwelihle
Kunene
Siyanqoba
Mthetwa
Zoe
Molelekwa
Susan Barry
Roland Moses
Vincent
Mthethwa
Khabelo
Witness Matlou(US)
Obakeng
Thamage
Mike del
Ferro(Netherlands)