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Lourens Fick
Prof Hubert van der Spuy congratulates Lourens Fick
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Talented young musicians dazzled the audience with exceptional performances at the Unisa South African Music Scholarship Competition Concert last Friday evening.
Lourens Fick (piano), who got a standing ovation for his performances of Beethoven’s Rondo a cappricio in G, Op. 129 and Rachmaninof’s Prelude in G, Op. 23. No. 5, scooped the main prize, the Unisa South African Music Scholarship, worth R12 000, as well as the SAMRO/Vladimir Viardo Piano Scholarship worth R7 500. This award is given to the best pianist under the age of 20 in the competition. The 18-year old from Paarl started playing the piano at the age of 7 and is on the Unisa Roll of Honour for both recorder and piano. He plans to study BMus at Stellenbosch University next year.
Runner-up to the Unisa South African Music Scholarship, soprano Megan Kahts, wowed the audience with her rendition of the haunting Sekretarisvoël, which also won her the Mimi Coertze prize for the best rendering of a South African art song. In addition, she also received the Baroque prize for the best rendering of a baroque composition and the Samro/Unisa/Deon van der Walt Vocal Scholarship.
Ben Schoeman, who made history earlier this year when he became the first South African to win the prestigious Unisa International Piano Competition, had the following advice for Lourens Fick: "Be a well-rounded musician --- listen to opera and symphony; piano is not everything. Listen to piano recordings, take part in competitions and practice, practice, practice."
Fourteen candidates who performed exceptionally well in the Unisa Grade 8 practical examinations were invited to take part in the competition. Ten candidates then proceeded to perform in the concert. |
