Starring: Waldo Alexander; Laura Pauna
Waldo Alexander (violin) & Laura Pauna (piano)
Mozart and Beethoven Sonatas
The acclaimed pianist Laura Pauna and violinist Waldo Alexander, both alumni of the National School of the Arts, celebrate their reunion with a recital of works by Mozart and Beethoven.
PROGRAMME
W.A. Mozart Sonata no. 18 in G major
L. van Beethoven Sonata no. 5 in F major
South African / Romanian pianist Laura Pauna has established herself internationally, both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. Laura holds a KE (post graduate performance) Diploma from the prestigious Hannover Music Conservatoire in Germany.
Her performances as a duo pianist in the past ten years at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall have had rave reviews (lavish, enthusiastic, brilliant); also at Salzburg Grosse Saal, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Jerusalem Theatre, Yasi (New York), Zagreb Institute Hall, Z.K. Mathews Hall, Cape Town City Hall, to name a few.
Laura is also the recipient of the National Arts Council scholarship 2009, Ottilie Selbach Stiftung (Germany), and the Oscar and Vera Ritter Stiftung (Germany). Laura was also invited to be in the jury of the Ibla Competition in 2008, and again in 2010.
She has performed with orchestras such as Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss am Rhein, Cape Town Philharmonic, KZNPO, Pro Musica et al, and at such series as the Piano Fortissimo series (Croatia), Piano Duo Festival Bad Herrenhalb, Oslo Grieg Festival, Unisa Concert series, and the Johannesburg Music Society Series.
Laura had her debut at the Bucharest Music & Film Festival in the famous piazza George Enesco, as well as a performance at St. Martin in the Fields, London.
Waldo Alexander is a freelance violinist, session musician and composer based in Johannesburg. His activities spread across several genres and disciplines, focusing predominantly on New Music and experimental collaborations with numerous established and emerging composers, artists and dancers, both locally and abroad.
He is currently touring with William Kentridge production, The Head & The Load, and together with pianist Jill Richards has recently released an album of works by Kevin Volans. His career as a recording artist began in 1994, and as an arranger and co-producer since 2002.
Waldo plays a fine Italian instrument on generous loan by the Lindbergh Arts Foundation, and is endorsed by Sennheiser South Africa, Prosound, and is the South African ambassador for DPA microphones.
Waldo and Laura will collaborate on recording an album of South African composer Franco Prinsloo's violin and viola pieces.