A Songmaker's Journey
Schedule
Sat Aug 16 2025 at 07:00 pm to 09:00 pm
UTC+02:00Location
Odeion Auditorium | Bloemfontein, FS
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A Songmaker’s JourneyA Celebration of Global Song: Marie Vassiliou and Nicolene Gibbons in Recital
The Odeion School of Music is proud to present a captivating song recital that celebrates the art of song across continents and cultures. This rich and varied programme showcases vocal works from Germany, France, Finland, North and South America, and South Africa—demonstrating the power of song as a global, democratic art form.
The repertoire, drawn exclusively from the 20th century, consists of modern classics that exemplify the highest standards of artistic excellence. These rarely performed gems provide a unique opportunity for South African audiences — and especially for the country’s many vocal students — to experience works that are seldom heard live on local stages. This concert not only highlights the expressive and pedagogical value of the song repertoire, but also encourages dialogue between our flourishing local singing tradition and international voices.
Soprano Marie Vassiliou, a highly respected figure in the UK and on international stages, brings her wealth of experience and fresh artistic insights to this performance. With a career that has spanned prestigious venues and festivals across the globe — including operatic engagements in Austria, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, and the USA — Marie has performed under the baton of celebrated conductors such as Martyn Brabbins, Sir Andrew Davis, Edward Gardner, and Sir David Willcocks. She has appeared at the BBC Proms, Wratislavia Cantans, Holland Park Opera, and Eisenstadt Haydn Festival, among many others. Marie is a dedicated educator, currently on faculty at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where she teaches in both the vocal and historical performance departments.
She will be joined by South African pianist Nicolene Gibbons, whose distinguished international career spans over three decades. Nicolene studied piano and composition at the University of the Free State and the University of Cape Town before completing an MMus at the Royal College of Music in London and an MPhil in Composition at the University of Cambridge. She has worked extensively in the UK as a performer, composer, and teacher, and currently lectures in piano at the Odeion School of Music.
This collaborative recital promises to be a profound and moving musical journey, guided by two exceptional artists.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience a world of song in one unforgettable evening.
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Where is it happening?
Odeion Auditorium, Bloemfontein, Free State, South AfricaEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
