James Grace will perform gems from the classical guitar repertoire in a recital on Tuesday.
James Grace will perform gems from the classical guitar repertoire in a recital on Tuesday.
Spanish composer Fernanndo Sor's Gran Solo anchors the programme.
Sor, who straddled the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was considered by his contemporaries to be the best guitarist in the world.
Appropriately, several other Spanish composers feature in the programme. South African composer Abdullah Ibrahim's The Wedding offers an unusual geographical twist, and the programme ends with Albeniz's Granada.
KANNA Award winner for Best Male Artist at the 2010 ABSA KKNK, Grace is one of South Africa’s leading concert artists.
In recent years he has appeared with the Cape Philharmonic, the Kwa-Zulu Natal Philharmonic, the Johannesburg Festival, the Johannesburg Philharmonic and the Free State Symphony in concerti by Rodrigo, Villa – Lobos, Giuliani and Vivaldi.
This year his concert schedule has taken him throughout South Africa, the U.A.E and Zimbabwe.
He was the soloist in Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and Pieter Daniel at Kirstenbosch’s Summer Concert Series, and recently he joined forces with Jonathan Crossley to give the South African premiere of Rodrigo’s Concierto Madrigal for two guitars with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Alessandro Crudele.
Grace studied at the Royal College of Music in London as a Foundation Scholar with Carlos Bonell. Upon graduating he became the first guitarist in the history of the college to receive the Tagore Gold Medal, an annual award presented to the most outstanding student.
After spending two years in Doha, in the Arabian State of Qatar where he taught guitar at an International Music Centre, Grace returned to South Africa and was appointed Head of Classical Guitar Studies at the University of Cape Town.
Grace recently released his fifth solo album, World Café, under his own record label, Stringwise Records.
His previous two releases Sevilla – Music of Spain II and Café Latino both topped the Classic Fm Top 20 South African Charts and earned him SAMA nominations for Best Popular Classical Album and Best Instrumental Album respectively.
Grace is in the final stages of setting up the Stringwise Young Artist’s Trust, with the aim of assisting young artists from across the country produce their own albums and offering bursaries for overseas study.
The concert on Tuesday 7 October is in the St Andrew’s College Chapel at 7:30 pm.
Tickets available at the door cost R90 (adults), R70 (pensioners), R50 (tertiary students) Scholars and GMS members free.
WIN TICKETS TO JAMES GRACE'S CONCERT
The Grahamstown Music Society is giving away a free ticket each to two Grocott's Mail readers.
Email the answer to the question below to sarah@grocotts.co.za
What is the name of the piece James Grace will play on Tuesday by the composer formerly known as Dollar Brand?
