Durban maestro Dr Christopher Cockburn, who recently retired from his post at UKZN, will have two final farewells before he moves to Grahamstown (Makhanda) in April.
Under his baton, the Durban Chamber Choir will perform tomorrow (Sunday, February 26) at the Dutch Reformed Church, uMhlanga, from 9am, as part of the service. This will be the last performance of the Durban Chamber Choir under Cockburn’s direction. The choir will perform three of Cockburn’s pieces: Angelic Chorus, Festival Mass No. 2, and the Gloria from Festival Mass No. 3.
Next Sunday at 3pm (Sunday, March 5) he pairs up with fellow music academic and UKZN School of Music colleague Dr Andrew Warburton at the Durban Jewish Centre as guests of the Friends of Music to play masterpieces for four hands at one piano by Mozart, Schubert and Ravel.
Dr Cockburn is well known throughout South Africa as an organ recitalist and accompanist. After graduating with a Master’s degree in Organ Performance from UCT, he studied in London and was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists. On returning to South Africa, he was appointed Director of Music at Grahamstown Cathedral and Lecturer in Music at Rhodes University. In 2003 he moved to Durban to take up a lectureship at UKZN, where he also graduated with a Doctorate in Musicology.
Good to Know:
- Durban Chamber Choir: Sunday, February 26 at 9am at the Dutch Reformed Church, Umhlanga, 34 Herrwood Drive. Entrance is free and all are welcome.
- Friends of Music: Sunday, March 5 at 3pm at the Durban Jewish Centre, 44 KE Masinga Road. Tickets: R120 (members) R140 (non-members) available at the door.
The Independent on Saturday