From February 13 to 16, 2025, the musicians of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) will move to its mid-summer “residency” as Franschhoek presents the fourth annual Franschhoek Chamber Music Festival. All 10 concerts in this the fourth annual festival will be held in the excellent acoustic of the historic Dutch Reformed Church.
Franschhoek Chamber Music Festival tickets are available at Quicket.
See the FCMF booklet here.
The guest artist this year is Miclen LaiPang, the violinist of the renowned Trio Zadig, associate artists at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Paris. He is also the founder and artistic director of the Miesbach Chamber Music Festival and teaches at the International Chamber Music Academy of Southern Germany in Ochsenhausen, Germany and at the Talent Summer Music Courses in Brescia, Italy.
1707 “Charles Castleman” Stradivarius
Miclen has just been given the use for three years of the 1707 “Charles Castleman” Stradivarius – formerly known as the “Marquis de Champeaux” which Charlie Castleman gifted to the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium. Since Miclen’s Trio Zadig has been in residence at the Chapel for several years, and is now Associate Artist, Miclen has a great relationship there and was delighted to learn that the violin is being loaned to him. We can only hope that he can bring this wonderful instrument to the festival.
Chamber music masterpieces
The concerts all feature masterpieces of the chamber music repertoire from Mozart’s Gran Partita to Beethoven’s Razumovsky Quartet, Schumann’s Piano Quintet, Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet, Mendelssohn’s Piano Sextet and a chamber version of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. In all, CPO musicians will be showcased in an intimate chamber musicians setting which itself is set in lush grounds with awnings and food and wine to be enjoyed.
A piece that has probably never been performed outside of Europe since it was discovered a couple of months ago is the Mozart Serenade for Two Violins and Bass, K. 648, which will be played by Suzanne Martens and Philips Martens (violon) and on the cello (not bass) Peter Martens.
For Peter, the work discovered in Leipzig, dates from around the time Mozart was 10 years old. It is referenced in a letter written by Mozart’s older sister Maria Anna which she wrote on 3 December. Published in September 2024, the work was recently performed at the unveiling of the new Köchel catalogue in Salzburg. “My curiosity got the better of me and I ordered the music directly from the Mozarteum in Salzburg where I studied. It is utterly charming. While clearly the work of a child, it is clear that this was an extraordinary one!”
Guest appearances
Guests who join the CPO in the 10 concerts are concertmasters Farida Bacharova and Suzanne Martens, pianists Esthea Kruger, Pieter Grobler and Francois du Toit and harpsichordist Erik Dippenaar.
Youth will also be showcased by pianists Isaac van der Merwe and Gerhard Joubert, trumpeter Chad Groepies who has just won an audition to join the CPO, CPYO/CPO ad hoc cellists Seul Pearl Yung and Ashlin Grobbelaar and violinist Gilah Kellner and harpist Ricardo Hinnaker.
Peter Martens, artistic director and curator of the festival, says that he is grateful to his colleagues for their devotion and support as they play together in small groups where soloistic attributes and sensitive camaraderie are married.
Founders Nic and Ferda Barrow are again thrilled with the line up with musicians who “have become part of the pastiche of the valley at this time of year. We know this festival will be another extraordinary event for the concerts are such an enjoyable mixture of genres, and performed by the best musicians in the country with a showcase of rising stars.
For Louis Heyneman, CEO of the CPO, “We are honoured to be invited back and to partner with the Barrows, whose passion for the arts makes this possible.”
The concerts are also well spaced to allow festival goers the opportunity to enjoy the hospitality the village offers from restaurants, wine farms, art galleries, and shopping. And to enjoy classic and elegant wine by La Motte, Cap Classique by Le Lude, Coffee, by Bootlegger and sushi from Yama.
Franschhoek Chamber Music Festival tickets are available at Quicket.
What: Franschhoek Chamber Music Festival CPO 2025
When: 13 to 16 February 2025
Where: Franschhoek Dutch Reformed Church, Cape
Prorgamme and info: info@fcmf.co.za, www.fcmf.co.za
WS
