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
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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)