Rand Symphony Orchestra

It is a new year, and how time has flown!  The orchestra started rehearsing again in earnest in January after a well-deserved break. We invite you to join us for our Autumn concert featuring cellist Susan Mouton who will perform the Dvořák Cello Concerto under the baton of our resident Conductor and Musical Director, Carel Henn.  The orchestra will also perform Symphony No. 1 by Brahms.  This ambitious programme reflects the vision and leadership of Carel and the hard work of the orchestra members to raise the standard of playing.  And this is just the start of 2023 – we have much more in store this year.

Programme:

• Dvořák Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, B. 191 (soloist Susan Mouton)
• Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

 

Information

• Date: Sunday, 12 March 2023
• Time: 15h30
• Tickets:
  • Adults: R180
  • Pensioners:R160
  • Students/Scholars: R120
  • Children under 12: free

Online bookings are encouraged and can be made via Quicket. Click here to book .

Limited tickets will also be available at the door on the day. We are now able to accept credit card payments.

• Venue:

Trinity House Randpark Ridge, 23 Knoppiesdoring Street, Randpark Ridge

About the soloist

Susan Mouton grew up in Durban, where she began cello lessons at the age of 10. She studied at the University of Pretoria under Professor Gerard van de Geest. Here she was the recipient of the Pretorium Trust bursary on three occasions, as well one of the winners of the Unisa SA Music Scholarship. During her studies she often appeared as soloist with the University Orchestra, and in 1981 she was one of the soloists in the CAPAB Music Festival. After she graduated, she joined the National Symphony Orchestra in 1983, and was appointed Principal cellist in 1987. She studied with Marian Lewin while completing her Performer’s Diploma at Wits University, and was one of the winners of the Unisa Overseas Study Bursaries in 1987, which she used to spend three months attending master classes in Europe with a number of esteemed cellists, including Arto Noras, William Pleeth, Johannes Goritski and Wolfang Laufer. She was also fortunate enough to attend a Cello Congress in Washington at this time, where she was able to meet one of her heroes, Mstislav Rostropovich. Since 2000 she has been Principal cellist of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. in addition to her orchestral playing, she is active as a chamber musician, and is thrilled to have joined the Wits trio in the past few years. Together with her husband, Miroslav Chakaryan, she is also a member of the JPO quartet, and in 2022 became a member of the newly formed Take 4 piano quartet. In 2001, she was on the jury for the National String Competition, and in 2010, she was honoured to be chosen as the only South African string specialist on the jury for the International String Competition. This honour was again hers in 2022, when she was once again on the jury for the 6th International String competition.