Kuils River composer in running for orchestral prize

Kuils River composer Kerwin Petrus, 23, is among five finalists aiming to land an award from the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra this weekend.

The winner of the annual Alexander SA Composer’s Award will be announced in a concert on Saturday night at the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium in Parow.

The first prize is R50 000 and a one-year appointment as resident composer for the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO). Second and third prizes are R10 000 and R5 000, respectively, with a guarantee of at least one public performance of their works.

The winner of the competition will also receive one new commission and an all-expenses paid trip to Germany where the German-based orchestral group, Junge Norddeutsche Philharmonie, will perform their work.

Kerwin said he was hoping that the audience would be inspired by the finalists’ music.

The works of the finalists, chosen from 32 entries to the jury convened by Antoni Schonken are: A Minimalisr Dialogue by Lize Briel, 23; Century Machines by Owen Dalton, 25; Unravelling by Micaela Loubser, 24; Colour Sketches by Chesney Palmer, 27; and Suite for Orchestra by Kerwin Petrus.

“It is at the same time exciting and heartening to see the landscape of composition in South Africa grow in diversity, quality, and originality, and no doubt CPO’s support for emerging artists has played a vital role in making orchestral composition accessible to young composers,” Mr Schonken said.

Following the performance of the works by the finalists during the competition on Saturday, and while the judges are deliberating, Load & Shed, a new commission of last year’s winner, Conrad Asman, and Smoke by Chinese composer Yixie Shen will be performed, the orchestra said in a statement.

Louis Heyneman, the chief executive of the CPO, said that classical music is an important pillar in the cultural life of any civilised community.

“While alive and well in South Africa, it needs all the support it can muster in order to ensure its continued success and growth.”