The Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (SICMF) has become one of the highlights on the Western Cape live classical music calendar. It started in 2004 and has grown ever since, putting on a ten-day festival of international repute each year in July. This year, the 14th SICMF is expected to draw over 300 students. The faculty is made up of 30 top musicians from around the globe and the evening concerts in the Endler Hall are said to be comparable to the best that the Wigmore or Carnegie halls can offer.
Indeed this year, a number of musicians hail from New York City. Oboist extraordinaire, James Austin Smith, who has been invited back to SICMF for the seventh consecutive year also represents an exciting new group of musicians known as the DECODA Ensemble. They are the affiliate ensemble of Carnegie Hall in New York City and apart from their inspiring performances, they have engaged in institutes around the world sharing knowledge designed to enhance communication through performance thereby empowering young professional musicians through chamber music to perhaps better understand and utilize their potential in the music world today.
The first DECODA Institute South Africa (DISA) will be hosted by the SICMF at the Stellenbosch University Konservatorium from 24 to 28 June, just prior to the SICMF itself. DISA is fully supported by its sponsors and enrolment in the institute is free of charge. Up to 9 young professional or first class student ensembles will be accepted and interested musicians are encouraged to visit http://www.sicmf.co.za/about-disa/ for more details. DISA is creating an incredible experience, perhaps a career making and life changing experience, for a select few young South African musicians, but space is limited, so interested participants are encouraged to enrol early to avoid disappointment.
For more information contact SICMF Director, Peter Martens on martensp@sun.ac.za.