Basel, Stadtcasino
We enjoyed our second visit in Switzerland !
Outcome
We’ve raised CHF16000 for Krebsliga Beider Basel for their programme AYA (Adolescents and Young Adults with cancer).
Concert review
We played a beautiful programme for our second visit in Switzerland and first time in Basel, conducted by Christopher Morris Whiting and supporting Krebsliga Beider Basel, a local charity.
The Programme :
- Camille Saint-Saens : Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah, op.47
- Gerorge Gerschwin : Piano concerto in F
- Sergei Prokofiev : Romeo and Juliet, Orchestral Suite No.2, op.64TER
Charities
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Krebsliga beider Basel
Krebsliga beider Basel is the Basel Cancer League. It is a local, charitable, private non-profit organization, founded in 1957. It attends to all aspects of cancer, with the aim of ensuring that fewer people develop cancer and more people can be treated successfully. The organization also supports cancer research, increases public awareness of prevention measures and is committed to early diagnosis and treatment.
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Concert Guests
Conductor
Christopher Morris Whiting
Born in San Francisco in 1967, Christopher Morris Whiting was immersed in the world of music from a young age.
A highlight of his career is his association with the prestigious Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. Christopher regularly leads the orchestra, standing on the same podium where Johannes Brahms once conducted. He also curates special programs for young audiences and amateur musicians, fostering an inclusive and dynamic concert experience for all.
Christopher’s experience extends beyond the Tonhalle. He has held music director positions with several other ensembles, including the Orchesterverein Wiedikon and the Winterthurer Symphoniker. He has conducted orchestras in North America, South America, Europe and Asia, a testament to his global reach.
Christopher is a strong advocate for collaboration and education. He has worked extensively with adult amateur musicians, finding inspiration in their dedication, whether in orchestras or during the summer Chamber Music Week in Schiers, Graubünden. Christopher is a frequently returning conductor of the European Doctors Orchestra, having conducted a number of previous concerts. He has also been teaching at the Zurich University of the Arts since 1999, shaping the next generation of musicians through various programs.
Soloist
Charl Du Plessis
Charl du Plessis rose to fame when he was the youngest pianist in Africa to be named a Steinway Artist in 2010. He has since embarked on an international career working simultaneously as a classical and jazz pianist. Charl became the first pianist ever to perform on top of Table Mountain in Cape Town and was invited to perform at the opening of Steinway Hall, Beijing. He has won numerous awards in South Africa, including two South African Music Awards (SAMA), a Ghoema and Fiësta.
For the past 24 years he has performed as collaborative pianist with iconic South African singer and entertainer Nataniël.
Charl has collaborated with many pre-eminent musicians and performe with South Africa’s most prestigious orchestras, namely the Johannesburg Philharmonic and Cape Town Philharmonic.
Besides his career as piano lecturer at the University of Pretoria, he is a qualified international music examiner for Trinity College, London. He performs more than 130 concerts per season and pursues a comprehensive approach to the musical profession. Charl manages his own career and, besides from recording under his own independent label, he is also a Steinway SPIRIO recording artist and released three albums under the Swiss label Claves. His study of piano building culminated in training as a professional piano technician and concert tuner under the direction of Ian Burgess-Simpson (Cape Town) and Urs Bachmann (Zürich).
