PETA STEWART
Having been the only one of two international undergraduate students to receive a full tuition scholarship, Qden Blaauw is in his second year at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
He is happy to be back in the city in which he won multiple prizes and awards, and happy to be back to perform with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra in its annual Huberte Rupert Memorial concert.
Beethoven’s Fifth, with the 5th Piano Concerto, the “Emperor” Concerto being performed by Qden and the mighty 5th Symphony under the direction of Bernhard Gueller, takes place at the Endler Concert Hall in Stellenbosch on Friday, 29 November 29 at 7pm.
Dress rehearsal tickets
While the concert has been sold out for a while, due to public demand the dress rehearsal has been opened to the public and unreserved tickets are available for dress rehearsal at 4 pm. Book tickets on Webtickets, or at Artscape Dial a Seat 021 421 7695.
Qden is nothing if not a product of his generation – his first introduction to classical music was through a game called Magic Piano which he played on my mother’s iPad.
“Here, I started to discover more about classical music and as my knowledge grew, I had the urge to learn more and more. Through this app I learned more about the composers and the different styles of classical music.
“When I started listening and playing music, I had a great admiration for Mozart. Shane Goodall, my previous teacher, also had a big impact on my development as a young musician. Although no-one in my immediate family are musicians, they have always supported me. I also got a lot of support and encouragement from people that followed my progress throughout the years.
“From when I started to play the piano at the age of eight, music was always a big part of my life. It has become such a big part of my life that I would not be able to live without it, and becoming a professional musician is what keeps me the happiest.””
Although this is his first full concerto with the CPO which he says has always been very supportive, he has performed with the CPO on many occasions from a lunch time concert at the age of 13, a movement in a SA Conductors’ Competition finals, to the Beethoven Concerto No.3 in a chamber music version in the CPO’s Symphonic Masterpieces series during lockdown.
Evgeny Kissin, Leif Ove Andsnes
Living and studying in London has been wonder for him, far exceeding his expectations and enabling him to really broaden his knowledge not only at the Academy but buy attending concerts with pianists like Evgeny Kissin.
“I also met Leif Ove Andsnes when he came to give master classes at the academy,” he says. He also performs – often at the Academy, solo or in chamber music. In June this year I was invited to perform in a concert where I played new works from some London-based composers. And I performed my first solo recital earlier this month (November) at St Michaels Church in Sittingbourne in Kent.”
The Emperor, the concerto he will perform at this concert in Stellenbosch is “one of my favourites; it’s very exciting and dramatic, and has a theatrical quality to it. It takes the listener through a wide range of emotions, more the heroic quality of the 1st movement, tenderness of the 2nd movement, and overwhelming joy of the 3rd movement. I am beyond excited to take the listeners on this unique and powerful journey. “
Qden plans to begin participating in international competitions and in the long term, would like to establish himself internationally.
He is only briefly here at home, arriving just after completing his exams at the Academy, but will be able to spend a little time with his family and friends, and also preparing repertoire for the next term at the Academy.
Book tickets for the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s Summer Symphonies Season
here.
What: Huberte Rupert Memorial Concert with the CPO
Who: Pianist Qden Blaauw with the CPO; conductor Bernhard Gueller
Where: Endler Hall, Stellenbosch
When: 29 November 2024, 19:00, and dress rehearsal 16:00
Tickets: Artscape Dial a Seat -21 421 7695, Webtickets
WS
