Autumn Symphony Season
Conductor: Joolz Gale
Soloists: Farida Bacharova (violin)
François du Toit (piano)

KODALY           “Dances of Marosszek”
MENDELSSOHN   Double Concerto for Violin and Piano
MAHLER           Symphony No. 4 in G major

FARIDA BACHAROVA graduated with distinction from the Gnesin Musical Pedagogical College and later from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. She became the youngest female concertmaster in Russia, performing with the ‘Maly’ Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. She also performed with the USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra, and the Moscow Academic Philharmonic Orchestra. She was the soloist for more than forty performances of ballets such as The Golden Age, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake in Tokyo’s Metropolitan. In 1995 she joined the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra. She is currently an Associate Professor at University of Cape Town’s South African College of Music, as head of Strings and Orchestral studies, as well as Guest Leader of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.

Acknowledged as one of South Africa’s leading concert pianists and musicians, FRANÇOIS DU TOIT distinguished himself in several important international piano competitions, taking top prizes in the 1991 Hannover Music Competition, the 1992 Rotterdam and 1993 Marsala Internationals, and the 1994 International Maria Callas Competition in Athens. He is an Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Cape Town (UCT).  Receiving his early musical training from Merryl Preston, he went on to complete an Honours degree at the UCT, studying under the distinguished pianist and teacher, Laura Searle. He is also holding diplomas up to Fellowship level from the Trinity College of Music, London, and studied for the Solistendiplom at the Hochschule für Musik und Theaterin Hannover, Germany, under the renowned pedagogue Berndt Goetzke.

A charismatic young conductor of extraordinary natural ability, JOOLZ GALE (photo) has been recognised by musicians and audiences alike for his remarkable musicianship, versatility and maturity. His début recording in 2008 with Bayerischer Rundfunk has since led rapidly to a busy conducting schedule, with concerts throughout Europe, Latin America and the Far East. In less than a year, he has made débuts with orchestras such as the Bamberg Symphony, China National Symphony, KZN Philharmonic, Filarmónica Arturo Toscanini, Simon Bolivar National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, Shanghai Symphony and Venezuela Symphony.