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Zimbabwe: Cellist Guest At Local Concerts

Zimbabwe Independent (Harare)

13 July 2007
Posted to the web 13 July 2007

SOUTH Africa's foremost cellist, Peter Martens, will perform at two concerts in Zimbabwe next week, as the guest of Celebrity Subscription Concerts of Harare and Performing Arts Bulawayo. These will be the first cello recitals in the country for several years, with Martens accompanied in both concerts by Zimbabwe's celebrated pianist, Jeanette Micklem.

Martens will perform in Harare at 4pm on Sunday July 22 (Harare International School), while the Bulawayo concert will be in the Robert Sibson Hall at 7:30pm on Tuesday July 24. Works to be played include Bach's Suite for Solo Cello Number 3, Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata, Chopin's Introduction and Polonaise Brilliante and the Grand Sonata in E Major by Frans Xaver Mozart, son of Wolfgang Mozart.

Born in Cape Town in 1971 and started cello lessons at the age of seven, Martens later studied with Dalena Roux at the University of Stellenbosch and in 1989 won a scholarship to go to Interlochen in the United States of America, where he led the cello section of the World Youth Orchestra. In 1990 he started three years of studies with Professor Heidi Litchauer at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He also had master classes with Heinrich Schiff, William Pleeth and Ivan Monigetti and was the principal cellist of the chamber orchestra, Salzburger Musici, as well as solo cellist of the Austrian Ensemble for Modern Music, whose tours included performances in St Petersburg and Moscow.

Returning to South Africa, Martens took up the position of co-principal cellist of the New Arts Philharmonic Orchestra of Pretoria and was principal cellist of the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa. He is at present the principal cellist of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and is a performer outside of the orchestra. He is also a part-time lecturer in cello performance and orchestral studies at the University of Stellenbosch and has recorded solo and chamber music for the SABC, making two CDs with the group Cellissimo in Pretoria.

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