Memorial concert to feature violinist Michael Duffett

The young South African violinist, Michael Duffett, is returning home to perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in the 2019 annual Huberte Rupert Memorial Concert with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.

The concert will take place at the Endler Hall un Stellenbosch on Friday November 29, at 8pm.

Schalk van der Merwe, the winner of the fourth Len van Zyl Conductors’ Competition, will make his symphony concert debut with the CPO, conducting the overture, The Hebrides, also by Mendelssohn, and the Symphony No. 3 by Brahms.

The CPO’s annual symphonic tribute to the late philanthropist Huberte Rupert marks a very special birthday. She would have been 100.

Her support enabled the CPO to bring fabulous young South African musicians mainly living abroad, such as Duffett, to the attention of wider audiences.

They join the list of several other South Africans such as violinists Pieter Schoeman, Sarita Uranovsky, Avigail Bushakevitz and pianist Kathy Tagg who have come home to perform for their compatriots.

Michael Duffett, who has performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra as well as in the Edinburgh Festival and BBC Proms, and all the major South African orchestras, was twice the winner of the National Youth Music Competition and other South African competition.

He is currently studying for his doctorate in music through a Boston University scholarship.

Duffett was also concertmaster of the Britten-Pears Orchestra, conducted by Marin Alsop.

Tickets for this concert are available from Computicket and Artscape Dial-A-Seat oatn 021 421 7695.

For more information, email luvuyo@cpo.org.za