August 30, 2004
By Chandrea Gerber
GERMAN conductor Justus Frantz and his world-renowned travelling orchestra, Philharmonia of the Nations, are heading for South Africa, not only to perform but also to run development workshops.
Made up of 100 musicians from 40 different nations Philharmonia of the Nations travels around the world with no permanent location, save their music.
"My philosophy is making classical music accessible, which is the reason we are coming to South Africa - to expand the developmental programmes in the classical music industry as a whole," said Frantz.
The South African tour runs from 11 to 19 September and will include free concerts in Alexandra in Joburg and KwaMashu in Durban, and music development workshops in Soweto, Durban and Cape Town.
"I am particularly pleased that former president Nelson Mandela will greet us and attend one of our concerts," said Frantz. "We would like to perform Beethoven's 9th symphony with choirs from Soweto and soloists from South Africa and Germany."
Frantz is also offering two scholarships that will add South Africa to the nations represented in the Philharmonia. The two successful applicants will get the opportunity to tour the world for a year with the company.
Philharmonia of the Nations
Top of Frantz's agenda is the discovery and support of young talent, and the Philharmonia holds auditions in every port of call. A springboard for many young musicians which has seen the discovery of violinists like Midori and Maxim Vengerov and pianist Evgeny Kissin, this mode of selection expands experience beyond geographic and cultural borders.
According to the orchestra's website, the Philharmonia has performed over 1000 concerts around the world. "Each tour unites people worldwide in important cultural and social events. This fosters understanding and mutual respect," said former German foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher.
In July 2001 the Philharmonia gave a private concert to Pope John Paul II and two days after the 9/11 attack in the US they held a solidarity concert in Hamburg in honour of the victims.
Frantz was inspired to found the Philharmonia of Nations in 1995 in response to conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein's vision of a young professional orchestra company made up of members of all nationalities. Bernstein's credo "Let's make music as friends" has become the Philharmonia's motto.
Frantz, who has been playing piano since he was four, was one of the youngest students ever to be granted a scholarship by the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (German National Scholarship Foundation) at the age of 23. His professional musical career took off in 1967, after he won an international music competition.
A free concert by the Philharmonia of the Nations will be held at the Alexandra Auditorium on 11 September at 7pm.
Another concert will be staged at the Linder Auditorium on 13 September, at 7.30pm. Tickets start from R66.50 and are available at Computicket on 011 340 8000 or at www.computicket.com.
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