DU PLESSIS , Charl

DU PLESSIS , Charl

Profession:
Pianist
City/Town:
Pretoria
Postal Address:
PO Box 13047, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028
Mobile:
+27 (0)83 449 1688
Fax:
+27 (0)12 342 1195
Email:
Shirley Horn (Artist Manager) on .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Website:
http://www.charlduplessis.com

Charl du Plessis has been hailed by the South African press as a “cult pianist” and an “edu-tainer” with “an x-factor”. He is a versatile performer who brings insight into the vast range of music he plays through his own search for truth and beauty. He is the only pianist of his kind performing simultaneously in genres ranging from baroque to pop and is renowned for his interpretations of classical and jazz piano repertoire, both in the concert hall and as a recording artist.

He has illuminated the music of Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Scott Joplin, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Billie Joel for a new generation of listeners. Charl du Plessis performs throughout the world with many different partners. In 2009 and 2010 he and his jazz trio toured to China for recitals with cellist Hanrich Claassen as well as master classes at the Shanghai American School in Pudong. In 2009 Du Plessis travelled to Europe with his jazz trio performing crossover arrangements of classical favourites at major festivals in Switzerland and the Netherlands.

In May 2010 Du Plessis was the first artist to inaugurate a new Steinway Model D concert grand piano at the gala opening of the Brooklyn Theatre in Pretoria. For this occasion he performed Beethoven’s Fantasy for piano, choir and orchestra coupled with Mozart’s Concert aria “Ch’io mi scordi di te?” for soprano, piano and orchestra to critical acclaim.

His Piano Man disc topped South African Classic 102.7 charts for more than sixty consecutive weeks, making it one of the most successful cross-platform albums in his native country ever. A new release in the Piano Man series is scheduled for November 2011 with more highlights of the piano repertoire.

For the twelfth year running Charl du Plessis will be participating in more than seventy concerts as collaborative pianist for South African entertainer Nataniël. Charl du Plessis is featured on 5 albums of this top South African performer and his best-seller book with short stories TUESDAY was dedicated to Du Plessis.

Following numerous country-wide recitals with South African violinist Zanta Hofmeyr, Du Plessis has just recorded his first studio project with ms Hofmeyr. BEETHOVEN TANGO will include new arrangements of music by Beethoven, Sting, Gershwin and Piazzolla with two new compositions by Du Plessis. All arrangements for this project was done by Charl du Plessis and the album is due for release in April.

Charl du Plessis studied with master piano teacher Joseph Stanford at the University of Pretoria and was the first student ever to complete a Doctoral performance degree specialising simultaneously in classical and jazz piano.

Charl du Plessis has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to aiding the development of young musicians and as a doctor of piano performance he lectures in both classical and jazz piano at the University of Pretoria.

Charl du Plessis has been named a Steinway Artist, joining an exquisite circle of renowned artists such as Vladimir Horowitz, Martha Argerich, Alfred Brendel, Lang Lang, Keith Jarrett, Brad Mehldau and many more. He records exclusively on Steinway pianos and the Steinway piano is his preferred piano for world wide performances.

First Published: 1 June 2011

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