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prof’s new classical music CD will delight music lovers worldwide
– Zenoyise John –
Prof Piet Koornhof has been teaching violin, chamber music and methodology of violin teaching at the NWU’s School of Music and Conservatory since 1986. He holds a doctorate in music performance from the same institution.
Together with pianist Prof Albie van Schalkwyk, emeritus professor at the University of Cape Town’s College of Music, and Susan Mouton, principal orchestral cellist and much sought-after chamber musician from Gauteng, Piet has released a commercial CD of Georgian classical music. The CD is titled Giya Kancheli: 18 Miniatures for violin and piano, and Middelheim trio for violin, cello and piano.
Working together in perfect harmony
This is not the first time Piet and Albie have worked together. They have recorded many albums, including Violin Plus One and Frolov & Friends.
Their latest offering of works, by Georgian composer Giya Kancheli, was recorded in May 2021 and in the first part of 2022. The CD was released on 5 August on the American classical music label Delos.
The album is available in 98% of the world market, being distributed through the vast network of the Naxos record label.
The CD has two sections: a set of 18 “miniatures” for violin and piano, based on Kancheli’s favourite melodies from his incidental music for stage and film, and the “Middelheim” trio, composed shortly before the composer’s death in 2019.
The latter is dedicated to the staff of the Middelheim hospital in Antwerp, Belgium, where the composer’s life was saved several times. This is the first time a commercial recording of the Middelheim trio has been released.
Kancheli is considered one of the most important Georgian composers. “In addition to his pure concert music, he composed much film music and also lots of incidental music for plays, since he was the director of a drama theatre in Georgia for many years,” says Piet.
Click on the image above to listen to violinist Prof Piet Koornhof participating in a virtual concert by the Potch Trio in Potchefstroom in May 2021. The musicians are Prof Piet Koornhof (violin), Human Coetzee (cello) and Jana Mathee (piano).
The music world is sitting up and taking notice of a new musical collaboration between three South African musicians, one of whom is the NWU’s Prof Piet Koornhof, associate professor of violin.
A musician of note
Piet made his concert debut at the age of nine while a pupil of Alan Solomon, who was an outstanding violinist, conductor and teacher.
When Piet was young, he twice represented South Africa as a soloist with the South African National Youth Orchestra on tours to Europe and Israel with cond uctors Alberto Bolet and Avi Ostrovsky.
He has performed in many countries and regions, including in Southern Africa, Europe, North America, Russia, Singapore and New Zealand.
He has made recordings for Koch Discover International and Delos with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Italian flutist Raffaele Trevisani, American pianist Thomas Hecht, the South African Chamber Music Society (which he founded), the Potch Trio, and South African pianists Albie van Schalkwyk, Truida van der Walt and Bernarda Vorster.
Music lovers are in for a treat with Piet’s latest classical music collaboration.
From left to right are Prof Albie van Schalkwyk, Prof Piet Koornhof and Susan Mouton during a rehearsal.
prof’s new classical music CD will delight music lovers worldwide
– Zenoyise John –
Prof Piet Koornhof has been teaching violin, chamber music and methodology of violin teaching at the NWU’s School of Music and Conservatory since 1986. He holds a doctorate in music performance from the same institution.
Together with pianist Prof Albie van Schalkwyk, emeritus professor at the University of Cape Town’s College of Music, and Susan Mouton, principal orchestral cellist and much sought-after chamber musician from Gauteng, Piet has released a commercial CD of Georgian classical music. The CD is titled Giya Kancheli: 18 Miniatures for violin and piano, and Middelheim trio for violin, cello and piano.
Working together in perfect harmony
This is not the first time Piet and Albie have worked together. They have recorded many albums, including Violin Plus One and Frolov & Friends.
Their latest offering of works, by Georgian composer Giya Kancheli, was recorded in May 2021 and in the first part of 2022. The CD was released on 5 August on the American classical music label Delos.
The album is available in 98% of the world market, being distributed through the vast network of the Naxos record label.
The CD has two sections: a set of 18 “miniatures” for violin and piano, based on Kancheli’s favourite melodies from his incidental music for stage and film, and the “Middelheim” trio, composed shortly before the composer’s death in 2019.
The latter is dedicated to the staff of the Middelheim hospital in Antwerp, Belgium, where the composer’s life was saved several times. This is the first time a commercial recording of the Middelheim trio has been released.
Kancheli is considered one of the most important Georgian composers. “In addition to his pure concert music, he composed much film music and also lots of incidental music for plays, since he was the director of a drama theatre in Georgia for many years,” says Piet.
Click on the image above to listen to violinist Prof Piet Koornhof participating in a virtual concert by the Potch Trio in Potchefstroom in May 2021. The musicians are Prof Piet Koornhof (violin), Human Coetzee (cello) and Jana Mathee (piano).
The music world is sitting up and taking notice of a new musical collaboration between three South African musicians, one of whom is the NWU’s Prof Piet Koornhof, associate professor of violin.
A musician of note
Piet made his concert debut at the age of nine while a pupil of Alan Solomon, who was an outstanding violinist, conductor and teacher.
When Piet was young, he twice represented South Africa as a soloist with the South African National Youth Orchestra on tours to Europe and Israel with cond uctors Alberto Bolet and Avi Ostrovsky.
He has performed in many countries and regions, including in Southern Africa, Europe, North America, Russia, Singapore and New Zealand.
He has made recordings for Koch Discover International and Delos with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Italian flutist Raffaele Trevisani, American pianist Thomas Hecht, the South African Chamber Music Society (which he founded), the Potch Trio, and South African pianists Albie van Schalkwyk, Truida van der Walt and Bernarda Vorster.
Music lovers are in for a treat with Piet’s latest classical music collaboration.
From left to right are Prof Albie van Schalkwyk, Prof Piet Koornhof and Susan Mouton during a rehearsal.
