Double bass takes centre stage in Free State Symphony Orchestra program

Arts

─── 09:00 Thu, 23 Apr 2026

Music lovers are in for a treat with the FSSO's Music Inspires Music.

The Free State Symphony Orchestra (FSSO) invites music lovers to an unforgettable evening of orchestral music titled Music Inspires Music, taking place on Saturday, 16 May 2026 at 19:30 at the Odeion in Bloemfontein.

Music lovers are in for a treat as the FSSO prepares to take audiences on an unforgettable musical journey with its upcoming concert, Music Inspires Music. The performance takes place on Saturday, 16 May 2026 at 19:30 at the Odeion, promising an evening filled with diversity, virtuosity, and timeless orchestral brilliance.

Under the baton of acclaimed conductor Alexander Walker, the orchestra will present a vibrant, stylistically diverse programme featuring celebrated Bloemfontein double bassist Ruan Baartman as soloist. Ruan joins Yolanda Maartens in the OFM Art Beat to share his excitement about the evening’s programme.

Ruan Baartman. Photo supplied

The concert opens with Benjamin Britten’s Suite on English Folk Tunes, Op. 90, a vibrant and imaginative work that transforms traditional melodies into something both playful and sophisticated.

From there, audiences will be treated to a true display of virtuosity with Giovanni Bottesini’s Grande Allegro di Concerto “alla Mendelssohn”. Often referred to as the “Paganini of the double bass,” Bottesini’s composition pushes the boundaries of the instrument, showcasing its expressive depth and technical brilliance—brought to life through Baartman’s exceptional skill.

'Mozart at his most vibrant and engaging'

The programme then turns to the elegance of the Classical era with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 in D major, Haffner. Known for its energy and refined charm, the symphony captures Mozart at his most vibrant and engaging.

Bringing the evening to a spirited close is Igor Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite, a lively and inventive work that fuses Baroque influences with a distinctly modern voice. Its playful character and inventive textures make it a fitting finale to a concert built on the idea of musical inspiration across time.

Music Inspires Music promises more than just a concert—it offers a rich exploration of how composers reinterpret and reimagine musical ideas ,creating connections between past and present. Audiences can expect an evening that moves seamlessly from folk-inspired charm to dazzling virtuosity, and from classical refinement to bold innovation.