In Memoriam
Many of you will probably be aware that our dear friend and greatly esteemed colleague Jürgen (Bräuninger) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer almost exactly a month ago.
This email conveys the extremely sad news that Jürgen died early this morning. He had been in Entabeni Hospital for the last 10 days – initially for an operation intended to give him some relief: the plan was that he would then begin treatment with his oncologist. But after the operation he picked up a chest infection; and though this seemed to have been improving, his general condition declined rapidly.
His family’s tentative plan is that the funeral service will take place on Saturday, at St Cyprian’s Church in Umbilo. As soon as the details are confirmed, I will pass them on.
Very sadly,
Christopher Ballantine
LG Joel Professor of Music Emeritus
University Fellow
School of Arts: Music
University of KwaZulu-Natal
This email conveys the extremely sad news that Jürgen died early this morning. He had been in Entabeni Hospital for the last 10 days – initially for an operation intended to give him some relief: the plan was that he would then begin treatment with his oncologist. But after the operation he picked up a chest infection; and though this seemed to have been improving, his general condition declined rapidly.
His family’s tentative plan is that the funeral service will take place on Saturday, at St Cyprian’s Church in Umbilo. As soon as the details are confirmed, I will pass them on.
Very sadly,
Christopher Ballantine
LG Joel Professor of Music Emeritus
University Fellow
School of Arts: Music
University of KwaZulu-Natal
Message from Michael Blake: "I was deeply saddened by the news of fellow composer and friend Makhaya Mjana's passing last week. He was my exact contemporary and I met him in 1998 when I returned to live in (the New) South Africa. With his award-winning choir Joy of Africa, we collaborated on many occasions, starting with the very first edition of the New Music Indaba in 2000 when he conducted a massed choir in the Makhanda (Grahamstown) Cathedral singing the world premiere of Kevin Volans's "One Day Fine". One occasion that particularly stands out was in 2004 when Joy of Africa (with Makhaya himself in the tenor section) joined an ad hoc ensemble in the South African premiere of Gavin Bryars's "Jesus Blood Never Fail'd Me Yet". This is the most rousing version of this piece I've ever heard, and I'm posting it here for everyone to hear. The choir joins in about midway. You can of course hear it live in Cape Town on 29 March at the Purpur Festival (non-choral version)."
