Minette du Toit-Pearce (mezzo soprano) & Phillipus Hugo (piano) & Sunday Kelechi (cello)

Light and darkness, life and death, and their impact on human emotion, have always been sources of awe, mystery, and inspiration for poets and composers alike. Celebrated South African mezzo-soprano Minette du Toit-Pearce, versatile pianist Philippus Hugo, and Stellenbosch University’s own talented Nigerian cellist Sunday Kelechi depart from the traditional format of the recital and focus on a central theme rather than the usual groupings of songs by specific composers, presenting a captivating curated programme that centres around the themes of reflection and illumination, in favourite works by Strauss, Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Grieg, Brahms and Fauré, as well as South African composer Antoni Schonken.

Strauss’s light of the moon, Brahms’ tortured darkness and nostalgia, Debussy’s doomed evening, Grieg’s Swan Song, Arvo Pärt’s reflections on life, Fauré’s Romantic but taunting dream – poetry and musical colour intertwined and reflected through human and instrumental voices, is an experience not to be missed.

The concert will be broadcast on Sunday 1 November at 4pm and will be available online until Sunday 8 November.

Programme:

Richard Strauss (1864 – 1949) Die Nacht

Claude Debussy  (1862 – 1918) Beau Soir

Camille Saint Saëns  (1835 – 1921) The Swan

Edvard Grieg (1843 – 1907) Ein Schwan

Avro Pärt (b. 1935) Spiegel im Spiegel

Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) Dein Blaues Auge

Edvard Grieg (1843 – 1907) Zwei braune Augen

Antoni Schonken (b. 1987) *SA Iliso

Gabriel Fauré  (1845 – 1924) Apres un rêve

Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) O wüsst ich doch den Weg zurück

Gabriel Fauré  (1845 – 1924) Elegy

C. Scott – Reflection

Artist biographies:

Minette du Toit-Pearce  began her vocal training in 1993 under the tutelage of Magdalena Oosthuizen. She received her MMus (cum laude) specializing in singing. She completed the University of South Africa (UNISA) Teachers and Performance Licentiates (both cum laude) and received the DJ Roode Overseas Scholarship, and the Gertrude Buchanan and SAMRO prizes during the UNISA bursary competitions. She was the overall winner of the ATKV Musiq competition and the winner of the singing category and the Mozart prize. She was named first runner up in the SAMRO International Scholarship competition. In 2009 she was a finalist in the Kohn Foundation Wigmore Hall International Song Competition in London. In 2010 she was a finalist in the American Institute of Musical Studies’ (AIMS) Meistersinger Competition in Graz. She attended several summer schools such as Ticino Musica in Lugano and AIMS in Graz, receiving lessons from Barbara Bonney, Michelle Crider and Michelle Breedt.

She regularly performs as a soloist in Oratorio and is an accomplished singer of lieder both locally and abroad and regularly performs at The Songmakers’ Guild in Cape Town. She has performed with all major orchestras in South Africa, most notably the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra. Minette has performed at several national arts festivals in South Africa and has been nominated for three Kyknet Fiësta awards for her contribution to classical music at an arts festival. In 2015 she travelled to France and sang several concerts with the South African pianist Ilse Schumann and baritone Niël Rademan. Minette regularly adjudicates at Eisteddfods and often travels outside of South Africa to Namibia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to teach and perform. She is Senior Lecturer in Singing and the head of the Singing Division at Stellenbosch University. Minette made her American debut when she performed as soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Minnesota Orchestra in Minneapolis in 2018.

Philippus Hugo behaal die grade B.Mus, B.Mus (Hons) en M.Mus (cum laude) in klavier aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch onder leiding van Juliana de Villiers. Hy maak sy solo- debuut met die Kaapse Filharmoniese Orkes op sestienjarige ouderdom en tree tydens sy studentejare verskeie kere saam met die KFO, Natal Filharmoniese Orkes en Stellenbosch Simfonie-orkes op. In 1992 word hy aangestel as amptelike begeleier by die Hugo Lambrachts Musieksentrum. Na 5 jaar aanvaar hy ‘n pos as musiekonderwyser by Rustenburg Primary School en in 2001 word hy as begeleier aangestel by die Universiteit Stellenbosch waar hy steeds werksaam is. Hy is sedert 1994 een van die amptelike begeleiers vir die ABSA Nasionale Kompetisie vir hoërskoolleerlinge en ‘n gereelde begeleier van die SANLAM Laerskool Kompetisie, ATKV Musique, Artscape Kompetisie en UNISA Oorseese Beurskompetisie asook vryskut begeleier by verskye Nasionale Kunstefeeste soos Klein Karoo Klassique, Darling Voorkamerfees, Die Vryfees, Fynarts Hermanus Fees en die Greyton Classics For All Fees. In 2011 word hy gevra om by die Maputo Internationale Musiekfees saam met die Amerikaanse sangers Kennethia Mitchell en Lawrence Craig Jr. op te tree. Philippus word genooi om gedurende Mei van 2014 weer as gaskunstenaar op te tree tydens die Maputo Classical music Season waar hy die sang en instrumentale begeiding behartig. Vir die Internasionale Maputo Klassieke fees van 2016, is hy aangestel om 2 opera konserte met plaaslike sangers tesame met die Maputo jeugkoor, saam te stel en te begelei.Vir die openings konsert van die 2013 KKK, word Philippus, tesame met Minette du Toit Pearce en die US Perkussie Duo, benoem vir ‘n Fiesta toekenning vir die beste klassieke konsert gedurende ‘n nasionale fees. Vanaf 2012 tot 2015 tree hy op as amptelike begeleier vir die Muziquante kompetisie. Hy word ook gevra om deel te wees van die Harare Musiekfees wat gedurende September 2012 in Zimbabwe plaasvind. Sedert 2013 word hy deur die ATKV aangestel as programsamesteller en koordineerder vir die konserte wat die onderskeie wenners van die Muzique en Muziquante as deel van hul wenstatus, moet uitvoer. Dit sluit in die Galakonsert as deel van die Greyton klassieke musiekfees, 2014 en 2016 Woordfees, Oude Libertas konsertreeks, Nederburg en La Motte konsert reeks asook die soiree konserte vir die Summerplace, Sandton, konsertreeks. Verder is hy verantwoordelik vir die samestelling en begeleiding vir die openings konsert vir 2013 tot 2015 se KKK fees. Philippus is genader deur UNISA om as eksaminator op te tree. Hy is aangestel om die George Loerie Eisteddfodd gedurende Augustus 2014 en 2016 te beoordeel, die Riversdal asook die Tygerberg Eisteddfodd. Gedurende Mei 2016 is hy die beoordelaar van die Klavier afdeling tydens die Stellenbosch Kunswedstryd. Hy is ook ‘n bedrewe sjef en die mede- eienaar van die restaurant Driefontein en 254 Catering op Caledon in die Overberg.

Nigerian cellist Sunday Kelechi is a 2nd year Performance Diploma student at Stellenbosch University. He began playing the cello at the age of 13 at the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) and in 2014 won the Music Quest Competition. In 2019 he was awarded the first prize in the Elna Elphick Cello Competition at SU. In the same year, Sunday appeared as soloist with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra at both the Community Gala Concert at Artscape Opera Theatre and the Artscape Lunch Hour Concert. Sunday is co-principal cellist of the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and principal cellist of the Stellenbosch University Symphony Orchestra.