Prize-winning pianist Jan Hugo at Unisa

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South African pianist Jan Hugo will perform at Unisa on Saturday 05 October at 18:00 in the Enoch Sontonga Hall in Pretoria.

This excellent young pianist was the winner of the Western Art Music category at the SAMRO International Scholarship Competition last month.

His programme consists of works by Romantic masters and a work by Bartok, adding a 20th century flavour.

The Prelude and Fugue in E minor, Op 35 by Mendelssohn is first on the programme, followed by Variations on a Theme of Paganini Op 35 by Brahms.

The second half consists of the Sonata in A minor, D784 by Schubert and Im Freien by Bartok.

Jan will also perform with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra in the Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg on 16 and 17 October with Daniel Boico on the podium. Hugo will play Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto no. 1, opus 25 in G Minor.

Born in Bloemfontein, Jan started his music tuition in Pretoria at the age of 7 with Claudine van Breda, distinguishing himself in local arts festivals and eisteddfods.

Just 13 years old, Jan was invited to further his studies (in Italian) in Modena in Italy. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music in 2010, obtaining the highest marks possible,cum laude and honorary mention.

At 15 years old, he won the category “Soloists under 18” in the International Piano Competition “Carlo Soliva” in Casale Monferrato, Italy.

In 2006 he was admitted to a Master’s Diploma in Piano Performance at the Accademia Pianistica Internazionale “Incontri col Maestro” in Imola, under the guidance of Boris Petrushansky.

In July 2011 he was the first prize winner at the Fourth Unisa National Piano Competition and in November 2012 he was the winner of the Unisa Overseas Music Scholarship.

After years of studying in Italy, Jan Hugo has been accepted for a Master’s degree at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in Leipzig, Germany. He will start his studies there in November 2013.

Hugo has participated in various master classes with internationally acclaimed pianists and teachers, such as Michel Dalberto, Robert Levin, Graham Scott, Vovka Ashkenazy, Gerald Fauth, Jin Ju, Riccardo Risaliti, David Ascanio, Adam Wodnicki and Joseph Stanford.

He has played recitals in various cities in Italy including Modena, Bologna, Ferrara and Adria and he regularly performs for important South African music societies in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Knysna and Grahamstown.

He has performed with the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, Free State Symphony Orchestra and the UNISA Music Foundation Symphony Orchestra, under the guidance of conductors such as Bernhard Gueller, Leslie Dunner, Arjan Tien, Alexander Rahbari, Sebastian Lang-Lessing and German Guttierez.

In July 2011 he was the 1st prize winner at the UNISA National Piano Competition and in November 2012 he was the winner of the UNISA Performer’s Licentiate Bursary Competition. In August 2013 he was the winner of the Western Art Music category at the SAMRO International Scholarship Competition.

Tickets for the concert are sold at the door for R90 (adults) and R70 (students and pensioners).

Photo: Edzard Meyberg

 

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