PETA STEWART
Belgian chocolate may be the best in the world, but Belgian music? Even though César Franck worked for the most part in France (and it is 200 years since he was born) he is dear to the heart of the Belgians. That’s why visiting guest conductor, Belgian Rik Ghesquière has chosen the Franck Symphony to celebrate A Taste of Belgium in the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s Spring Season in the City Hall on 15 September, 2022.
What’s more, he has a Belgian soloist, the violinist Jolente de Maeyer, and two more works by one of Belgian’s foremost composers August De Boeck.
Added to this is the support the Government of Flanders has given to bring these two Flemish artists here.
Triple Concerto
Rik, who is making his debut on the CPO podium, is here for two concerts. The second one is the following week on 22 September, featuring Tim Kliphuis (violin), Peter Martens (cello) and Charl du Plessis (piano) in the South African premiere of a new Triple Concerto by the Dutch violinist and composer Kliphuis.
Also on the programme are Bernstein’s Candide overture and the suite from his On the Waterfront. Making an appearance in that concert will be saxophonist Liam Burden who will perform Legend of a Giant by another Belgian composer, Kevin Houben.
In the first CPO concert, the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensemble will perform a curtain raiser.
Ghesquière is also conducting the US Symphony Orchestra on 17 September at The Endler Hall in Stellenbosch in Beethoven Symphony No 5. The soloist in the Rococo Variations by Tchaikovsky is Peter Martens, his good friend and collaborator in projects in Belgium. He will also be part of the unveiling of a sculpture by Brendon Edwards in Franschhoek on 24 September – Symphony of Spheres is based on the opening notes of Beethoven’s Symphony No 5.
Music has always been an important element in his life, one he inherited from his father who played the flugelhorn. “He sang with an orchestra at dance parties and he even played a dash of the accordion. His engagement as a flugelhorn player in the local wind band came to an end because of his false teeth! But he thought music education was very important and we all went to music school.”
Rik has passed this love on to his children – his oldest of three, son Mathias is a professional percussionist; his daughter, Marian is extremely musical but she didn’t like the life of a musician; and his younger son, Achille, now 12, plays the viola. Six years ago he accompanied Rik and his wife Grietjie to the Kruger National Park and “we all fell in love with your beautiful country!”
Rik Ghesquiere is another musician with divided loyaties – to the trumpet or the podium and the podium has won. For many years he has been a trumpeter in the Brussels Philharmonic, dividing his time between playing the trumpet and conducting the Brussels Young Philharmonic, BOENK!
“Ï feel a little bit like your Brandon Philips! For the last 25 years my heart has definitely been with conducting. I started with conducting some wind bands and I realized more and more that inspiring musicians was more my cup of tea… Although I still love playing the trumpet, I took the decision to go back to study to get a masters’ degree in conducting. I went to the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and got my diploma in 2000.”
But before he changed his allegiance, his “absolute hero was the French trumpet player, Maurice André” who was a soloist on the old CTPO’s concerts in the 16th International Festival in the Canary Islands.
“As a conductor, I am very much inspired by the American conductor, teacher and author Benjamin Zander. This always energetic man is a great example for me: his enthusiastic and infectious way of speaking, his philosophy towards making mistakes, his use of anecdotes, his ability to think in possibilities, his feeling for humour and his positive leadership style are very inspiring. He creates a safe environment for his musicians.”
Now, with less time spent with his beloved trumpet, Rik is able to focus on conducting. He has been á guest conductor with many orchestras and recent engagements have been with Thüringen Philharmonie in Germany and Royal Bangkok Orchestra in Thailand. He is also a regular guest conductor of the opera company Stichting Klein Podium (Netherlands). He is permanent conductor of the Flemish Brabant Symphony Orchestra and the De Lier Symphony Orchestra and of course there’s the South African connection.
Konsertstück for Four Horns
“The first time I came to South Africa was in 2009. A colleague had been invited to the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival, but he wasn’t free and suggested I replace him. It was a fantastic experience. In 2011 I returned to the festival.
“Bit by bit I came more and more to South Africa. I have conducted the WindWorx Symphonic Wind ensemble often and have been a regular guest conductor of the Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra in Pretoria, I was even teaching the conducting students at the Cape Town Army Band in the class of Sean Kierman. In 2019, I was appointed Extraordinary Associate Professor of Music at the Stellenbosch University.
Rik comes to South Africa directly after recording with the international piano virtuoso, Boris Giltburg, and returns to conduct the Brussels Young Philharmonic in Robert Schumann’s Konsertstück for Four Horns, the Weber Clarinet Concerto, with soloists from the Brussels Philharmonic, plus Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony.
Why August De Boeck, the composer of two pieces in the first CPO concert?
“He is a famous Romantic, Flemish composer who deserves to be performed much more often. He comes from a small village near Brussels, Merchtem, which is the same one from where our soloist, Jolente De Maeyer comes.”
For Rik, music has never been a choice, it’s a necessity.
“Sometimes I think versatility has been a trap for me. I’ve immersed myself in a lot of different music, done counterpoint, studied jazz harmonization, learned different instruments (trumpet, piano, cello, cornetto…) and sometimes I think this has fragmented me a bit. On the other hand, I realize very well that this knowledge is a wealth that I can pass on as a conductor and as an inspiration to the next generation of musicians. My experience with jazz and crossover in different music genres helps me with this music that combines improvisational music with written score.”
Who: Conductor Rik Ghesquiere with the CPO
What: Two symphony concerts in the Spring Symphonies at the City Hall season
When: September 15 and 22, 2022 at 8 pm; pre-concert talk at 7.15 pm
Info: cpo.org.za
Book: Season tickets for four concerts Artscape Dial-A-Seat 021 421 7695, single tickets Dial-A-Seat and Computicket
WS
