Viviamo per l'Arte: Music Inspired by Fantasy & Legend

Two top flutists join Albie van Schalkwyk in a programme of magic and mystery. Nerina von Mayer and Pam Wijnberg play Ravel’s Pavane, Empress of the Pagodas and The Enchanted Garden, Bach’s Double Concerto, Bizet’s Carmen Variations and Ian Clarke’s Maya.

Viviamo per l'Arte means “We Live for Art.”

Put the troubled world aside, and join us for an uplifting evening of beauty and joy. Enter Ravel's magical , mystical, mysterious world - Sleeping Beauty's Pavane , the Empress of the Pagodas - breathing all the perfumes of the gorgeous East - the Enchanted Garden . In Bach's sublime Double Concerto, the heavenly spirits tread their joyous round . Be dazzled by Bizet's Carmen Variations and Clarke's transcendent Maya - all played by three of Cape Town's top musicians .

Nerina von Mayer studied in Cape Town, Vienna and London and holds B.Mus. and M.Mus. degrees in Performance. Alternate Principal Flute in the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra and Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra for 16 years, she performed as soloist with the CTSO, CTPO and CAPAB orchestras and as recitalist for the Cape Town Concert Club. She has recorded for the South African Broadcasting Company and is a well-known recitalist and chamber musician. After heading the Flute Department at the University of Cape Town's College of Music for many years, she now acts as the External Examiner for Woodwinds at UCT and Stellenbosch University. She is also frequently asked to adjudicate at music competitions. She pursues a busy and varied freelance career, teaching and performing on a freelance basis with various Cape Town orchestras. She is a member of the chamber groups Hungarian Trio and Viviamo per l'Arte, and loves arranging music. Married with two daughters, in her spare time she reads widely, enjoys beautiful gardens and practices yoga.

Pamela Wijnberg, a professional flautist, educator and arranger, embarked on her musical journey with a dual major in piano and flute from the University of Cape Town. For over 25 years, she has imparted her expertise as a dedicated teacher, nurturing students in Cape Town's premier schools and through her thriving private studio. Pamela performs solo as well as working alongside talented musicians in collaborative ensembles. Together with Nerina and Albie, they form the successful trio, Viviamo per l'Arte.

Albie van Schalkwyk established himself as performer in a number of fields over the past 40 years. One of the leading chamber musicians and vocal accompanists in South Africa, he has also performed as soloist with SA orchestras, performed solo recitals, given master classes for singers and accompanists, worked as a music producer for the SABC, and arranged music for various combinations, including Broadway musicals and operas for 2 pianos and orchestral pieces for 3 to 8 pianos. He completed his Ph.D. in Music at the University of the Free State in May 2012.

Albie retired from his post as Associate Professor in Piano and Chamber Music at the SA College of Music, University of Cape Town, at the end of 2017. Since then he has continued his activities as collaborative pianist in chamber music and the art song repertoire, piano teacher (live and online), vocal coach and arranger for multiple pianos, all under the heading of the Musicumbrella Piano Studio

Viviamo per l'Arte

Albie , Pam and Nerina have collaborated for several years , performing throughout the Western Cape as Viviamo per L'Arte ( We Live for Art), and also arranging music together. Star Publishing has published their arrangement of some of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier for Flute Duo , and they are in the process of working on their arrangement of Ravel's Mother Goose Suite for Piano and Two Flutes which is being performed in the present program .