As COVID-19 continues to affect our nation and our personal lives, Stellenbosch University’s Music Department remains determined to give our students the best training and performing opportunities even at this difficult time. The Stellenbosch University Symphonic Wind Ensemble has been divided into smaller groups: woodwinds, brass and percussion ensembles, to allow for greater safety and social distancing on stage.

The Stellenbosch University Woodwind, Brass and Percussion students will present a concert of works for smaller ensembles, including a trombone ensemble, as well as a reduced symphonic wind ensemble. Due to the high risk of Covid spread, and the third wave of infections affecting South Africa, this concert has been postponed. The concert will be recorded for online broadcast. Please watch our Instagram, Facebook and YouTube channels for the Online Concert of our SU Woodwind, Brass, Percussion and Wind Band Ensembles!

The Brass Ensemble conducted by Pamela Kierman, Reghardt Kühn and students Tyler Gibbons and Jaylin Cupido, perform works by Clarke, Bach and works from the brass band repertoire transcribed for brass choir by Gibbons. The trombone ensemble, led by trombone lecturer, Nick Green, will perform works by Mahler and Saint-Saens and the percussion ensemble will play Trio for Uno by Zivkovic. Bridget Rennie-Salonen conducts the woodwind ensemble with overtures by Rossini and Mozart and a work by Debussy. The combined ensemble, under the baton of Kühn and Kierman respectively, performs Hazo’s Ride and Stamp’s Bandancing. A highlight on the programme is Scott Watson’s musical version of Aesop’s Fables which musically portrays four tales attributed to the ancient moralist. The four movements are based on The Hare and the Tortoise, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Dog and the Bone and The Wolf and His Shadow, which should appeal to the young members of the audience. These will be narrated by Stellenbosch alumnus, Nathan Lewis.

The concert is dedicated to former conductor of USSWE (1991-1998), Mervyn Solomon who, sadly, passed away on Monday morning from complications of Covid-19. He took USSWE on three successful tours of England and Scotland in 1993, 1995 and 1997.