Nina Schumann | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Sunday 14 June 2020, Day 14 of Level 3, after 66 days at Lockdown Levels 5 and 4. 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for the lovely rain falling now, as well as early this afternoon, it can never rain enough ☔️; for a sun break this afternoon so that I could do a Camps Bay walk and pop in at Pick n Pay, its Service having improved vastly since Lockdown, now stocking local butter again after only selling imported brands, when I requested this of the manager 🙏; for a spoil morning in bed, becoming a bad habit, when I felt cold; for loving wearing my shorts when I walk, not feeling the cold then, asked by a local on the walk if I’m a foreigner in wearing the shorts …. ; for the privilege of listening to a Solo piano concert by Nina Schumann, playing virtually for the first time from Casa Labia in Muizenberg, by invite from Louise Howlett 💙🙏🎶; for a special concert coming by Daniel Hope in Schloss Elmau in the Bavarian Alps, tonight indoors; for dancing to my fabulous playlist, a mix of pop and classic, both danceable 💃💃💃; for a long phone chat with Jenny Stephens; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →

The La Motte Classic Music Festival takes place this coming weekend, and offers locals as well as visitors to Franschhoek a magnificent musical feast all weekend long.

The brainchild of Christopher Duigan, a gifted pianist who lives in Pietermaritzburg and who organises the classical music festivals in Franschhoek twice a year, the sponsorship by La Motte is a first.

The Music Festival opens on Friday evening 30 October with a choice of concerts, an Evening of Song with Bronwen Forbay singing opera arias and songs in the NG Church at 19h30, or clarinetist Mathew Reid and the Camerata Tinta Barocca performing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto at 19h00.

On Saturday 31 October Jacqueline Wedderburn-Maxwell, talented young teenage violinist, will play sonatas by Beethoven and Cesar Franck, and concert pieces by Sarasate and Paganini in the NG Church at 12h00. At the same venue a concert showcases “Rising Stars: young artists in concert” at 14h00, followed by a fun explanation session about classic music and its instruments, hosted by Christopher Duigan, at the Dennegeur Hall at 16h00. At 19h00 on the same day Ben Schoeman, an award-winning young pianist, will play music by Beethoven, Franck and Mendelssohn. At 19h30 Belle Voci takes over La Brasserie for an evening of operatic delights served with La Motte wines and a three-course meal.

On Sunday 1 November the music day starts at 9h30 with a unique combination of text and music, performed in the NG Church by pianist Anneke Lamont, Flautist Handri Loots and Violinist Elmarie van der Vyver. The pace hots up at 11h30, when Christopher Duigan plays Haendel, Beethoven, Debussy and Liszt in the NG Church. An hour later talented piano duo Nina Schumann and Luis Magalhaes perform Rachmaninoff and Arensky. At 15h30 the Stellenbosch LIbertas Choir will sing in the NG Church, and the programme includes a work called Jericho, as well as music by Haendel, Mendelssohn and Bach. At 15h30 the Festival comes to an end with performances by many of the Festival musicians at Cafe’ Bon Bon.

Ticket prices range from free to R 80 for the concerts at the NG Church. The concerts serving food and/or wine cost more. Details about the Franschhoek La Motte Classic Music Festival can be obtained at www.la-motte.com. Tickets can be bought at www.webtickets.co.za.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio www.whalecottage.com