Conductor Richard Cock (Photo: provided)
Well-known conductor Richard Cock’s 75th birthday celebrated during Songs of praise in the Endler Hall, Stellenbosch, on 27 October 2024
Songs of praise, a British concept has been presented in South Africa since 1992 by well-known conductor, Richard Cock. And yet, after more than 30 years it is still something unique and wonderful - a wide variety of musical material representing music old and new featuring audience participation and beautifully sharing an incredibly important message.
Richard says: “When I gave up being a church organist in 1992, I realised that I had a mission to continue to work in the Church Music Field, but in the wider context of SA as a whole, and we have managed to bring a powerful message to hundreds of thousands of people throughout SA over the past 32 years. It still gives me a great deal of pleasure, as that message is always relevant and now we need the Gospel of PEACE more than ever.”
Songs of praise will be held on Sunday on 27 October at 16:00 in the Endler Hall, Stellenbosch. Conductor Richard Cock’s 75th birthday will also be celebrated with wonderful sacred music during this concert. Two choirs, the RCME Winelands Choir and the Tygerberg City Choir will be leading the audience participation as well as singing different styles of music in several languages: praise and worship, meditation and prayer, African and alternative, celebration and koinonia.
An eight-piece instrumental ensemble will accompany both the choirs and the audience.
This ensemble consists of:
- Mario Nell on organ/piano
- Winand Grundling on piano/organ
- Maryke Lintvelt on violin
- Marelise Diener on cello
- Linda de Villiers on flute
- Reghardt Kühn on trombone
- Paul Loeb van Zuilenburg on trumpet
- Schalk Wasserman on percussion and double bass
The soloist for the afternoon is the young and upcoming soprano Erin Beck.
Richard Cock regards this concert as very special: “I was first captured by choral music when I was 12; and started to sing in a choir. It has always been a driving force in my life, and as I reach 75 it still is a comfort and inspiration to share my love of choral music with as many people as I can.”
Songs of praise is supported by the University of Stellenbosch and is one of the concerts presented during the Endler Hall Series for 2024.
Tickets are available at Webtickets at R230 per person.
For any enquiries: Ilse Schürmann – 082 851 7157