QUARTET OF PEACE
The Quartet of Peace is the brainchild of Brian Lisus (www.violinafrica.co.za), a South African creative visionary, who is making a quartet of string instruments to honour and celebrate South Africa’s four Nobel Peace Prize winners. These are the late Dr. Albert Luthuli of the ANC, Nelson Mandela, FW de Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Eugene became involved in this innovative project when Brian asked him to help organise the London concert featuring the finished instruments, and also to compose a string quartet that reflects the ethos of what binds these four great men. Eugene’s piece is called uxolo, which means forgiveness in the Zulu and Xhosa languages of South Africa.
The instruments will be played by the world-renowned South African musicians David Juritz (1st violin), Suzanne Martens (2nd violin), Gareth Lubbe (viola) and Peter Martens (cello).
The first public concert of the instruments will be on 17 November 2010 at the Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Johan Sebastian Bach is buried.
The London gala concert will be at Kings Place on Sunday 5 December 2010. We are in the process of negotiating other dates around this time in Leipzig, Paris and Geneva.
We are awaiting confirmation by the Nobel Peace Prize Organisation of a concert on 11 December at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize awards ceremony in Oslo.
Eugene is in the process of arranging a special performance of the Quartet of Peace in Nelson Mandela’s home.
A special fundraising concert will be on 16 December, South Africa’s Day of Reconciliation.
Thereafter there will be concerts in Paris and Geneva.