The Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (SICMF) recently celebrated its 19th annual iteration at the Stellenbosch University (SU) Conservatorium with the South African debut of Grammy winning conductor Michael Repper.
“[T]his is a storied festival so it was an honour to be invited and to come and work with so many faculty members, many of whom I have known for many years,” said Repper, who received a Grammy award in the category of Best Orchestral Performance in 2023.
Repper conducted several orchestras and ensembles throughout the SICMF, including the Festival Concert Orchestra, which concluded the festival.
The SICMF hosted several professional musicians and students from across the world from 5 to 14 July, including Maestro Simeone Tartaglione, music director of the Newark Symphony Orchestra, who made his South African debut at the festival. This is according to the SICMF director Peter Martens.
The South African pianist Nina Schumann served as the creative director of the SICMF, which has been an ongoing project at the SU department of music in the faculty of arts and social sciences, said Martens.
International musicians featured
“There’s a whole network of great artists from all over the world that meet at various chamber music festivals in Finland or Germany or in Switzerland and now Stellenbosch has become one of those,” said Martens.
The SICMF featured 90 student ensembles and included internationally acclaimed violin soloists Anna Vasileva and Fedor Belugin. Flautist Ekaterina Kornishina and pianist Emanuil Ivanov were also featured as soloists on the program.
“It’s a world-renowned chamber music festival that really can stand proudly alongside other high-stature chamber music festivals around the world,” said Martens.
Student musician awarded
The festival also included daily student concerts, masterclasses and a lecture series, said Martens.
“I think the most important responsibility that professional musicians have is to look out for the next generation, and create opportunities, and provide energy and inspiration to young people,” said Repper.
The annual Ten-by-Ten prize, which includes a 10-day job shadowing experience abroad for a student musician, valued at R50 000, was awarded to Likhona Tokota, a music performance master’s student at SU.
“This opportunity holds immense significance for me as I aim to pursue careers in teaching and performing music, allowing me to immerse myself in the lifestyle I aspire to achieve,” said Tokota.
Tokota will observe Mark Hampson, a professional bass trombonist, in Düsseldorf, Germany.
“I have been inspired, not just by the professionals, but by the students as well. There is a spirit here, an energy, a hunger and an overall vibe that is uncommon in how positive it is,” said Repper.