Under the direction of Artistic Director Bongani Tembe, the Winter Symphony Season of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra continues to be immensely popular. The orchestra is back to warm up the autumn evenings with an elegant series of popular and rarely-heard compositions from 5 to 26 June 2025. And true to form, world-renowned soloists and conductors will touch down at Joburg and bring top-notch interpretations to the Linder Auditorium.
We list all the chamber music works and talents you can look forward to over the next few weeks.
Week 1
The first concert of Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra’s Winter Symphony Season is an ode to the new season with the gorgeously evocative opening of Rimsky-Korsakov’s May Night Overture which is set against beautifully melodious string writing.
Also on the evening programme is the only piano concerto that Edvard Grieg ever produced, the Piano Concerto, Op. 16 in a minor. The Norwegian composer delivered a clean yet passionate soundscape that speaks to the Romantic era. The romantic mood of the evening is rounded out with the Symphony No. 1, Op. 13, g minor, “Winter Dreams” by Tchaikovsky – weaving together tense flickers at times, and sudden bursts of energy pouring through the score.
Joburgers are in luck as the musical maestro for this concert will be Koji Kawamoto. Koji continues to perform as visiting conductor at some most prestigious events across the globe. With three albums to credit, visiting pianist Aleksandra Swigut’s wide experience with historical and modern instruments and different performance practices sets her interpretations apart from the rest.
Cost: From R180pp, book via Quicket
When: Thursday, 5 June at 7:30pm
Where: Linder Auditorium, 27 St Andrews Road, Parktown, Johannesburg
Week 2
There’s something special in store for the second concert! JPO hosts a special musical tribute to South African choral composer Qinisela Sibisi. His Heritage Overture composition will be interpreted under the steady baton of Japanese conductor, Koji Kawamoto.
Sibisi’s work fits in perfectly on this Winter Symphony Season programme with some of the greats in classical music. Rachimaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 1 in f-sharp minor transports listeners to a nostalgic and soothing landscape with interludes of drama – make sure you pay close attention to the second movement. The orchestra unites for Dvorák’s Symphony No. 5, Op. 76 in F Major, a matured work which was written within a mere six weeks and helped develop of the composer’s individual style.
Your guest solist for the evening is Moscow-born concert pianist Andrey Gugnin whose international acclaim as a passionately virtuosic performer continues to grow. Gramophone magazine described him as an artist who possesses an ‘extraordinarily versatile and agile technique, which serves an often inspired musical imagination’. Since winning the prestigious Sydney International Piano Competition in 2016, Andrey has gone from strength to strength in concerts and recordings which exhibit his impassioned interpretations.
Cost: From R180pp, book via Quicket
When: Thursday, 12 June at 7:30pm
Where: Linder Auditorium, 27 St Andrews Road, Parktown, Johannesburg
Week 3
Conductor Conrad van Alphen delivered a splendid show for the Winter Symphony Season last year, and he’s back in Joburg once more to join JPO. Conrad has gained tremendous popularity with orchestras and audiences alike for his energetic, efficient, and communicative performance style.
Born in St. Petersburg in 1986 into a family of musicians, violin soloist Andrey Baranov began playing the violin at five. He has captivated audiences worldwide, performing on prestigious stages and at major festivals across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Joburgers have the chance to experience his world-class artistry live.
Many will very likely consider claude Debussy’s Symphony in b minor a sweet and somewhat underrated discovery. Hard to believe the composer conceived this magical piece at the age of 18. The finest skill and precision is required to lead the Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21 in d minor by Édouard Lalo, which today is considered a violin concerto. The piece has Spanish motifs throughout, and launched a period when Spanish-themed music came into vogue. Georges Bizet’s Carmen premiered a month after the Symphonie espagnole.
And although Beethoven’s 9th and 5th Symphonies often get the most attention, his Symphony No. 6, Op. 68 in F Major, “Pastoral” holds a special spot in the annals of chamber music thanks to it’s confident celebration of nature. Expect a rollercoaster of moods that all ends on a tranquil note.
Cost: From R170pp, book via Quicket
When: Thursday, 13 June at 7:30pm
Where: Linder Auditorium, 27 St Andrews Road, Parktown, Johannesburg
Week 4
The final concert in the Winter Symphony Season looks towards the South African chamber music scene and our incredible talent. Khanyisile Mthetwa is the principal flutist of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra and has earned quite a few accolades including multiple SAMA awards and the Myrna Brown Scholarship from the National Flute Association of America. She’s the first African to earn this prestigious honour.
Harpist Gaylen-Rose Sales holds a number of hats. She’s Principal Harpist for the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra, Guest Principal Harpist for the Free State Symphony Orchestra and appears regularly with flautist Bridget Rennie-Salonen as the Gabriel Duo. Togther, Khanyisile and Gaylen will shine in the Concerto for Flute and Harp, K.299 in C Major by Mozart. This is the only concerto he wrote for harp and one of the very few in the classical repertoire featuring this pairing.
The rest of the musical programme features Rossini’s La scala di seta Overture turns a short piece into an exhilarating musical experience. The work is a cheerful and energetic orchestral introduction to his one-act opera La scala di seta (“The Silken Ladder”), composed in 1812 when he was just 20 years old.
And although not as well-known as his later symphonies, Schubert’s First Symphony, D. 82 in D Major is admired for its charm, precision, and the promise of the great composer he would become.
The concert takes place under the baton of request collaborator and one of the most conductors in the country, Daniel Boico. Daniel Boico is the Artistic Director and CEO designate of the Free State Symphony Orchestra in Bloemfontein and Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic. His deep musicianship have continues to curate exciting performances across the globe and right here in South Africa.
Cost: From R180pp, book via Quicket
When: Thursday, 20 June at 7:30pm
Where: Linder Auditorium, 27 St Andrews Road, Parktown, Johannesburg
Join the informative Pre-Concert Talks at the Winter Symphony Season
Plan your evening carefully and be sure to join the Pre-Concert Talks that run before each concert at 6:30pm. Deano Maduramuthu, previously from the Morning Drive on Classic 1027 hosts an informative and engaging way to learn about the music before your concert.
The talks touch on music theory, guided listening and the historical and cultural context of the Winter Symphony Season programming. Entrance to the talks is free.
27 Degrees restaurant right next to Linder Auditorium serves dinner from 5pm and secure and convenient parking is available.
More about Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra
The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO) is a not-for-profit company that is invested in identifying and nurturing local talent and skills in the city’s creative community. Their seasonal concerts and regular collaborations are prime markers of using classical music to bring people together.
When: From 5 to 26 June 2025, every Thursday from 7:30pm
Where: Linder Auditorium, 27 St Andrews Road, Parktown, Johannesburg
Website: jpo.co.za
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 011 484 0446
Facebook: @JohannesburgPhilharmonicOrchestra
Instagram: @johannesburgphilharmonic
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for all the updates
