With outstanding soloists and star conductors, the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra proudly presents the last concert of the Summer Season of its renowned World Symphony Series 2019, which started on 14 February.
The final concert of the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Summer Symphony Season takes place on Thursday 7 March 2019 at 19:30 at Durban City Hall.
Featuring Olga Kern (piano) as soloist and under the baton of Daniel Boico, this concert will see the KZN Philharmonic perfom Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46; Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16; and Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 3, ‘Bells of Zlonice’.
Russian-American pianist Olga Kern is recognised as one of her generation’s great pianists. She jumpstarted her US career with her historic Gold Medal win at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas, as the first woman to do so in more than 30 years.
First prize winner of the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition at 17, Kern is a laureate of many international competitions. In 2016 she served as Jury Chairman of both the Seventh Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition and her first Olga Kern International Piano Competition, where she also holds the title of artistic director. Kern frequently gives masterclasses and, since September 2017, has served on the piano faculty of the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. Additionally, Kern has been chosen as the Virginia Arts Festival’s new Connie & Marc Jacobson Director of Chamber Music, beginning with the 2019 season.
Described by critics as ‘dynamic, vigorous, exciting and imaginative – an undisputed star who combines magnetic charisma with a skilled technique,’ Daniel Boico is the associate guest conductor of the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. His innate musical sensitivity, paired with a keen ear and fine musicianship, has produced exciting performances with orchestras in the United States, Europe, Central and South America, Africa and Asia.
Past highlights for Boico include a tour of Germany and Italy with the Nürnberger Symphoniker; his debut with the Taiwan Philharmonic; appearances with the Florida Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Costa Rica, Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Mexico, KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, and the San Francisco Ballet; returns to the Chicago’s Beethoven Festival, and the Chautauqua Music Festival; and his debut with the MAV Symphony Orchestra of Hungary.
He has worked closely with such soloists as Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman, Gil Shaham, Alissa Margulis, Nikolay Luganski and Yuliana Avdeeva, to name a few. World premieres under his baton have included many contemporary works: he conducted the ensemble I Virtuosi Italiani and soloist Dmitry Yablonsky in the highly praised recording of Nino Rota’s two cello concertos on the Chandos label; Alcalde’s Der Mondbach III for cello and double string quartet with cellist Pable Mahave-Veglia for Eroica Classical Recordings; and Kalinnikov’s Symphony No. 1 with the Nürnberger Symphoniker for Bayerische Rundfunk.
