{"id":199,"date":"2017-03-18T07:09:17","date_gmt":"2017-03-18T07:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/?p=199"},"modified":"2017-03-22T08:37:17","modified_gmt":"2017-03-22T08:37:17","slug":"vox-cape-town-presents-trust-the-silences-once-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/2017\/03\/18\/vox-cape-town-presents-trust-the-silences-once-more\/","title":{"rendered":"VOX Cape Town presents TRUST THE SILENCES (ONCE MORE)"},"content":{"rendered":"

FRIDAY 21 APRIL 2017
\nMemorial Chapel, Bishops
\n20h00
\nR160 | R120 (seniors and students)
\nBOOKING ESSENTIAL (<\/strong>hello@voxcapetown.com<\/strong><\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cYearning, despair, life, passion, beauty, tension\u2026 The hidden clockwork of the universe.\u201d This is how one singer describesthe music in VOX Cape Town\u2019s forthcoming performance: \u201cTrust the Silences (Once More)\u201d.<\/p>\n

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On 21 April, VOXinvites its audience to experience all of these profoundly human states as expressed in choral music by Eric Whitacre (b. 1970, United States) and \u0112riksE\u0161envalds (b. 1977, Latvia).Tofurther blur the boundaries between classical and contemporary musictherewill also be arrangements of songs by Radiohead and The Cinematic Orchestra.<\/p>\n

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VOX Cape Town was formed in mid-2015 to continue the choral legacy of the St George\u2019s Singers, a chamber choir led for over fifty years by Dr Barry Smith. The new singing group, under the direction of John Woodland, aimsto enrich the musical life of Cape Town in a way that is distinct from other choirs and singing groups in the city.<\/p>\n

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\u201cVOX provides a fresh approach to singing and performing. It involves singing beyond the notes on the page,\u201d says David Patrick, a music teacher and bass singerin the group. Fellow bass and medical doctor, Johan van der Walt,agrees:\u201cVOX combines the technical prowess of a traditional chamber choir with modern compositions and nuanced ways of experiencing choral music.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In this way, VOX strives to reinvent and reinvigorate local choral music.The ensemble comprises 25 singers who share a passion for singing yet hail from diverse backgrounds.\u201cVOX has a unique make-up and blend of voices. Performances are immersive experiences that appeal to all senses,\u201d says Shaun February, a match secretary at Western Province Rugby.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI feel challenged every week to produce a more beautiful sound and the music stays in my head during the week. It is lovely to live with beauty,\u201d said Suzanne Buchanan, a music teacher and soprano in the group.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTrust the Silences (Once More)\u201d on Friday 21 April is part of a series of \u201cNew Soundscapes\u201d in which VOX intends to expose audiences to fresh choral sounds. A previous instalment in this series entitled \u201cA Tale of Two Tave(r)ners\u201djuxtaposed Renaissance polyphony (John Tavener, 1490-1545) with the \u201choly\u201dminimalism of his contemporary namesake, SirJohn Tavener (1944-2013).Evocative lighting and imaginative musical programming created a rich sensory experience for listeners.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe music energises me like sparkling water,\u201denthusessoprano Christina Goodall of the programme for \u201cTrust the Silences (Once More)\u201d. Helene Cooke, who works as a computer analyst for an insurance company, says that \u201cevery piece creates its own special mood\u201d.<\/p>\n

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And this is what VOX intends to do in its forthcoming performance. The title is taken from a quotation on one of the musical scores ofthe composer Eric Whitacre: \u201cAbove all, trust the silences.\u201d Director John Woodland explains that, \u201cThe composer reminds the singers that silence, as the canvas on which we\u201cpaint\u201dour sounds, is equally as important as the music itself. We shouldn\u2019t be alarmed orfrightened by silencesthat penetrate the music. Instead, we should \u201ctrust\u201d the silences\u2013 the music and the singers both need opportunitiesto breathe, especially in the spacious acoustic of the Bishops Memorial Chapel.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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The original performance, \u201cTrust the Silences\u201d, took place last year. Next month\u2019s sequelwillstill be headed by the unleashed energy of \u201cCloudburst\u201d, a musical depiction of a thunderstorm replete with percussion instruments and clicking, tapping and clapping by the singers to portray the arrival of the rain.This year\u2019s programme will feature brand new pieces by Eric Whitacre, \u0112riksE\u0161envalds as well as items by contemporary bands Radiohead and The Cinematic Orchestra. These works, ranging from the sublime to the intimate, will offset the minimalist masterpiece at the centre of the performance, \u201cWhen David Heard\u201d. This piece is based on a single, devastating sentence from the Bible describing the moment David discovers that his son, Absalom, has died in battle.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBecause it is a relatively small group, every person is vital \u2013 you feel as though you make a real contribution. I heard VOX singing the Nine Lessons and Carols last year and was attracted to their precision in singing and the care they put into the whole service including the reading of the lessons. This led me to audition for them,\u201d says Jean Westwood, anew alto in the group.<\/p>\n

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VOX also looks to the future with the hit single \u201cFly to Paradise\u201d from Eric Whitacre\u2019s techno-opera \u201cParadise Lost\u201d. This piece will feature the unique vocal talents of Richard Brokensha, vocalist for South African alternative rock group Isochronous (ISO). Other guest artists include Bronwyn van Wieringen (piano), Dylan Tabisher and Cherilee Adams (percussion) and\u00a0Tara Notcutt (lighting and technical direction). Proceeds from the performance will be donated to the Bishops Chapel Improvement Fund.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe music is intense, interesting and contemporary \u2013 not the usual Cape Town choral experience,\u201d says Peter Borchers, an IT software entrepreneur and tenor in the group.<\/p>\n

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Fellow singer and judge, Owen Rogers, summed up the performance in this way: \u201cThemusic is contemplative, ethereal, sometimes magical \u2013 you will be transported to another world, if only for an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Don\u2019t miss this final opportunity to experience VOX\u2019s most ambitious, immersive choral project yet. Email us at\u00a0hello@voxcapetown.com<\/a>\u00a0to reserve your spot. Booking is essential. Tickets are R160 or R120 for seniors and students, payable at the door.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

VOX CAPE TOWN<\/strong><\/p>\n

Soprano:\u00a0<\/strong>Suzanne Buchanan, Elise de Kock, Christina Goodall, Chloe Joustra,
\nMaryanne McLachlan, Stephanie Pulker, Jenni van Doesburgh, Anthea van Wieringen
\nAlto:\u00a0<\/strong>Elinor Auerbach, Helene Cooke, Karen Hahne, Lesley Jennings,
\nJennifer Matlock, Jean Westwood
\nTenor:\u00a0<\/strong>Peter Borchers, Tobias Hahne, Roger Hunter, Michael Marchant, Owen Rogers
\nBass:\u00a0<\/strong>Chris Arnold, Casey Driver, Shaun February, Brent Johnson, Aaron Juritz,
\nDavid Patrick, Kyle Paulssen, Johan van der Walt<\/p>\n

VOX\u00a0CREATIVE TEAM
\nDirector:\u00a0<\/strong>John Woodland
\nEvents, Logistics, Finances:\u00a0<\/strong>Kyle Paulssen
\nArt, Development, Analytics:\u00a0<\/strong>James Rink
\nPolicy, Strategy, Sustainability:\u00a0<\/strong>Michael Marchant<\/p>\n

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT VOX:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong>www.voxcapetown.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Facebook:<\/strong>www.facebook.com\/voxcapetown<\/a><\/p>\n

Twitter:<\/strong>www.twitter.com\/voxcapetown<\/a><\/p>\n

Email:<\/strong>hello@voxcapetown.com<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FRIDAY 21 APRIL 2017 Memorial Chapel, Bishops 20h00 R160 | R120 (seniors and students) BOOKING ESSENTIAL (hello@voxcapetown.com)     \u201cYearning,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13,11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":215,"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199\/revisions\/215"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theatreonmain.co.za\/testnewtheme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}