The second round of the 12th Unisa Music International Piano Competition, starting on Monday 23 January, has many piano sonatas by Beethoven on the programme.
The event is taking place in the Z K Matthews Great Hall on the Unisa Muckleneuk Campus in Pretoria. The rules of the competition require the competitors to play a sonata from the classical period and the majority has chosen one of his 32 sonatas. Seven will play a sonata by Haydn and two have each chosen Mozart and Schubert.
The public attendance for the first round has been exceptionally good. They were treated by virtuoso performances of some of the world’s most popular 20th century etudes and toccatas.
Tickets are sold at the door for R30 (adults) and R20 (students and pensioners) per session. There are three sessions per day during the second round.
Twelve semi-finalists will be announced on Tuesday night, after the second round has come to a close.
The main prizes are sponsored by Vodacom. “Vodacom has been a proud supporter of the Unisa international music competitions. The fact that the association has existed for more than 10 years indicates the mutual benefit and respect that has characterised the relationship. We were particularly pleased to have been able to be involved in the latest version of the competitions and we take this opportunity to wish the organisers much success in the future,” reported Mthobi Tyamzashe, Executive Director: Corporate Social Investment, Vodacom.
For more information please call the Unisa Music Foundation at 012 429 3311 or visit the website: www.unisa.ac.za/musicfoundation.