Peta Stewart
A mutual admiration society is always a good thing, and with Olga Kern it’s exciting to know that she is looking forward to performing in Cape Town as much as Cape Town is excited to welcome her back.
In her own words: “It’s always wonderful to come back to beautiful Cape Town and perform with Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s fantastic musicians. I have so many friends in this orchestra, and with Bernhard Gueller it is always a great music making!”
This dazzling, dynamic pianist, who made her first appearance here 21 years ago, will perform the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1 with the CPO opening the Summer Festival in an all-Tchaikovsky concert, conducted by Bernhard Gueller, on 11 January, 2024. This Friends of Orchestra Music Benefit concert will include the Waltz from Eugene Onegin and the Symphony No 4. Two days later, she will perform some of her own favourite Gershwin, Schumann and Rachmaninov pieces, for the Cape Town Concert Series at the Baxter Concert Hall.
Tchaikovsky letters
We are lucky she has been able to fit Cape Town in, for she is performing in Prague (something of a home base with New York for her) on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with the Czech Philharmonic, then she flies in for these two exclusive concerts then immediately leaves to perform in Ohio and California, on to Budapest and Ljubljana, back to the US and on to Asia and so on. It’s a good thing she enjoys “performing and sharing the beauty of music to my audiences all over the world”.
Olga has been a favourite here for decades, and it was interesting to explore how she got to where she was. This began with who influenced her, and she says that there were “many wonderful great musicians,” noting how lucky she was “to attend an historical concert by Vladimir Horowitz, an incredible recital by Sviatoslav Richter, and many performances by Van Cliburn! These moments I will never forget; they influenced me a lot!,” she says.
Both Olga’s parents were pianists. “I heard piano music since I was born, and always wanted to play piano – it is the most beautiful instrument! I remember the moment I went on stage for the first time. I was seven years old and I was playing a Haydn Concerto and I was fascinated by the energy coming from the audience and the warmth from the stage lights. I loved it and understood in that moment that I want to be on stage and perform all my life!”
But her genes go back further than her parents. “My great great grandmother was a pianist and a good friend of Tchaikovsky. She was from the Ukraine. We have in the family absolutely unique letters and photos from Tchaikovsky to her. It feels so special that Tchaikovsky’s genius touched my family! I grew up listening to Tchaikovsky’s music, his ballet music, his symphonies, playing his solo pieces and his concerti. I play all three Tchaikovsky concertos. I love his music. His concerto No 1 is an incredible masterpiece, every time is such a joy to perform this music!”
She says there is “no end in piano repertoire. One life is not enough to perform everything what I would like to perform and record. I have so many interesting ideas, I hope to realise as much of them as I can!”
She’s on her way, if only she could find the time.
“I have my own competition; the Olga Kern International Piano Competition is held every three years, and last year we held the third edition. The young Chinese pianist Chen Guang who won the 2016 performed three years later with the CPO, with great success. “
Ellis Island Medal of Honor
Olga also teaches at the Manhattan School of Music where she is proud of her students, several of whom have already won prizes in important international competitions, and she also gives master classes in a career which sees her performing around the world, particularly after winning the Rachmaninov International Piano Competition when she was 17 and then in 2011 after launching her American career by winning the Gold Medal in the Van Cliburn. She didn’t even stop for Covid, performing online instead of in person.
She is also proud of the fact that she was awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor in New York, which is given by the American President to recognise contributions and achievements in all professions. It celebrates inspirational Americans who have done commendable work on behalf of the betterment of the country and the people who inhabit it.
The CPO concert will be preceded by a pre-concert talk by John Woodland at 6.45pm. A glass of Le Lude Cap Classique will be available to all members of FOM at the post-concert reception. The dress rehearsal is at 11am on 11 January, and is open to the public with tickets on the Quicket platform.
Read more on her website here.
Who: Pianist Olga Kern CPO
What: Summer Festival at the City Hall with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra; Bernhard Gueller on the podium; recital for Cape Town Concert Series at the Baxter Concert Hall
When: Thursday, 11 January 2024 at 7.30pm for CPO; Saturday, 13 January 2024 at 5pm for Cape Town Concert Series
Olga Kern tickets: CPO concert: Artscape Dial-a-Seat 021 421 7695, Webtickets CPO. Cape Town Concert Series tickets
WS
