by Menziwa Msibi

Trio Joie de Vivre, consisting of three School of Music and Conservatory lecturers from the North-West University (NWU) will be performing their concert “Joyful Dances” during Aardklop.

The Concert will take place tonight 3 October at 19:30 in the School Music and Conservatory Hall.

Liesl van der Merwe plays the bassoon, André Oosthuizen the flute, and Catrien Wentink (the piano.

Catrien says playing and rehearsing with Trio Joie de Vivre is the most enjoyable part of her job. “We are not only colleagues, but also friends. We rehearse once a week for two hours, and when we are preparing for a concert, we sometimes rehearse more,” says Carien.

 In tonight’s programme, they pay tribute to dances over the ages. The programme begins in the baroque period with a selection of dances from the ballet opera Suite de Les Indes Galantes by Jean-Philippe Rameau.

Later, Joie de Vivre travels to Germany with a playful Haydn trio, and in Russia, the trio carries us away with the passion of Glinka’s Trio Pathetique.

A spiritual journey to the United Kingdom features the composition “A Journey of Forgiveness” by Boyce-Tillman. The programme ends in Argentina with three passionate and famous tangos.

Tickets can be bought through the Aardklop website (www.ticketpros.co.za) or at the Aardklop offices at R130 and R100 for pensioners.

More about Trio Joie de Vivre

Established in 2018, Trio Joie de Vivre has performed at various renowned national arts festivals, featuring compositions by Devienne, Van Weber and Gershwin, while showcasing André innovative arrangements and their commitment to musical excellence.

In 2021, Trio Joie de Vivre unveiled their "Joyful Journey" as part of the NWU School of Music's concert series, emphasising their innovative approach to musical expression.

This performance featured the world premiere of Rev Prof June Boyce-Tillman's composition, "Forgiveness Journey," which was also performed at the Music, Spirituality and Wellbeing Conference: "Fostering Wellbeing in Times of Global Crisis," hosted by Boston University, USA.

In 2022 the trio undertook a tour with "Joyful Dances," bringing their dynamic performances to diverse audiences. In 2023, they collaborated with another ensemble for the "Trio x2" concert, captivating NWU concert series attendees with their exceptional musical prowess.

Liesl Van der Merwe, André Oosthuizen and Catrien Wentink.