The Rhapsody Orchestra

Moedersdag Ete & Kunsuitstalling! 🐝

Datum: 10 Mei 2026
Tyd: 10:30 vir 11:00
Plek: Onze Rust Landgoed
Kaartjies: R300 pp
R 150 Kinders tussen 5 en 12
R 70 Kinders onder 5

Kaartjies sluit in:
🍾 Welkomstdrankie en piekniek-happies met aankoms
🎨 Kunsuitstalling deur die huis en tuin deur plaaslike kunstenaars
🎻Strykkwartet wat 'n Bridgerton-atmosfeer byvoeg
🥗Buffet Middagete
🍬Soet happies
🍷Kontantkroeg beskikbaar

Om te bespreek: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xQs5yAys0uyKHmvSvxPLRRBB6s5x-tK1o8leyWfFU8I/viewform

Thank you for a truly wonderful concert!

We’re incredibly grateful for your support — having such an engaged and enthusiastic audience makes all the difference to what we do.
Sharing this music with you is always special, and we don’t take it for granted.

We look forward to seeing you on 5 September!

Thank you to our wonderful audience for the support. We look forward to make beautiful music tomorrow night!

Book quickly to avoid missing out on another magical Rhapsody concert.

18 April, 19:00
Odeion Theatre
Get your ticktets here:
https://www.quicket.co.za/events/356783-romantic-spirits/ #/

We honestly didn’t expect things to move this quickly… but Romantic Spirits is already 53% sold — and most of that happened in the last few days.

If you’ve been thinking “maybe I should go”, this is probably your sign to just book tickets for you and your friends!

Get your ticktets here:
https://www.quicket.co.za/events/356783-romantic-spirits/ #/

🎻✨ The Rhapsody Orchestra presents: Romantic Spirits ✨🎻

The Rhapsody Orchestra returns to the Odeion Theatre for an evening celebrating the timeless tradition of the symphony concert. 🎼 Audiences can look forward to a programme that honours the rich heritage of the nineteenth-century orchestral experience.

This concert is intentionally traditional in the best sense of the word: a full symphony orchestra on stage, a carefully balanced programme, and music that has truly stood the test of time. 🎶

🌲🎺 The concert opens with the Overture to Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber. Atmospheric and dramatic, the work draws listeners into a world of dark forests, distant hunting calls, and Romantic storytelling. It is music that immediately establishes mood and colour.

🎼🔥 The second work on the programme is Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor, one of the most recognisable and beloved works in the orchestral repertoire. From its iconic opening to its triumphant final pages, the symphony unfolds as a powerful journey from tension to victory.

✨ Experiencing these masterpieces live in a traditional concert hall remains one of the great privileges of orchestral music. The Rhapsody Orchestra invites seasoned concertgoers and newcomers alike to enjoy an evening where the grandeur of the symphonic tradition meets the warmth of our community orchestra.

📍 Key Information
🎻 The Rhapsody Orchestra presents Romantic Spirits
🎼 Conductor: Heinrich Lategan
📅 Saturday, 18 April 2026
⏰ 19:00
📍 Odeion Theatre

🎟 Tickets:
Available at https://www.quicket.co.za/events/356783-romantic-spirits/ #/
• R100 – Adults
• R50 – Concessions (children under 18 & pensioners over 65)

💻 Tickets available at: www.quicket.co.za

🎶 Programme
• Weber – Overture to Der Freischütz 🌲
• Beethoven – Symphony No. 5 🎼

✨ Join us for an unforgettable evening of Romantic drama, orchestral colour, and timeless music! 🎻🎶

✨ Thank You for a Magical Evening ✨

What a truly special night of music! Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Valentine’s concert — your presence, warmth, and enthusiasm made the evening unforgettable. ❤️🎶

We are deeply grateful to our wonderful guest conductor, Dario Broccardo, for his inspiring leadership, and to our talented soloist Sharon de K**k for a breathtaking performance. A heartfelt thank you as well to every member of the orchestra whose dedication and artistry brought this beautiful programme to life.

To our audience, supporters, and everyone behind the scenes — thank you for being part of this musical journey with us. We hope the music stays with you long after the final note.

We look forward to welcoming you again soon!

With appreciation,
The Rhapsody Orchestra

✨ Folklore & Fantasy – Sold Out! ✨

We are absolutely delighted (and incredibly grateful!) to share that our Folklore and Fantasy Symphony Concert is officially sold out! 🎶

Thank you for the wonderful support — we can’t wait to share this magical evening of music with you.

🎟️ A small number of tickets may still be available at the door on the night. Please note that door ticket holders will be accommodated after all pre-sold ticket holders have been seated, and entry will depend on remaining capacity.
We appreciate your understanding and support — it truly means the world to us.

See you at the concert! 🌟

🎻 Soloist Spotlight 🎶

We are delighted to present Dr Sharon de K**k as soloist in the sublime The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams, performed with The Rhapsody Orchestra.

Dr Sharon de K**k is a distinguished violinist, senior lecturer at the University of the Free State, and an internationally experienced performer whose career spans South Africa, the USA, Latin America, and Europe. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (magna cm laude, BMus; MMus), she studied under renowned pedagogues including Chee-Yun Kim and Dorothy DeLay, and has performed with orchestras across Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, Spain, and the United States.

She has served as first violinist of the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, collaborated with world-class artists, and appeared as both soloist and chamber musician in major festivals and concert venues worldwide. Since returning to South Africa, she has remained an active performer, adjudicator, researcher, and community advocate, founding the Violins for Peace outreach project to expand access to music education.

Dr de K**k holds a DMus from North-West University and is widely respected for her artistic excellence, academic contributions, and deeply meaningful performance projects, including her work honouring music composed during the Holocaust.

Join us for an unforgettable performance as her expressive artistry brings the soaring lyricism of The Lark Ascending to life.

the Rhapsody Orchestra presents the first concert of its 2026 season, Folklore and Fantasy.

Saturday, 14 February 2026, 19:00 – St. Micheal’s Chapel
Tickets: R100 (adults) / R50 (concessions – children under 18 and pensioners over 65)
Tickets available on https://www.quicket.co.za/events/356782-folklore-and-fantasy/ #/

For the first time in the orchestra’s six-year history, Rhapsody will welcome a guest conductor from outside Bloemfontein. Dario Broccardo, from Gqeberha, brings many years of experience as a conductor, educator, and passionate advocate for community music-making. His extensive work with community orchestras aligns closely with the essence of the Rhapsody Orchestra, making him an ideal collaborator for this concert.

Joining him on stage is local soloist Dr Sharon de K**k, a member of the Odeion String Quartet, who will perform The Lark Ascending by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. This much-loved work is one of the most famous and frequently celebrated pieces of classical music internationally, particularly in the UK where it has consistently been voted an audience favourite in Classic FM polls, and is cherished for its lyrical beauty and evocative sense of freedom — qualities that also resonate deeply with audiences in South Africa.

Another highlight of the evening is the première of Miniature Dances, composed by Rhapsody Orchestra member Sonja Visagie. The work consists of four short movements — Waltz, Ballet, Swing, and Habanera – each inspired by a different dance style.

Rounding out the programme are two orchestral favourites: Rossini’s William Tell Overture, famously known as the theme from The Lone Ranger, and Grieg’s enchanting Peer Gynt Suite, with Morning Mood and In the Hall of the Mountain King featuring melodies sure to be familiar to audiences of all ages.

This concert celebrates the joy of community orchestral music-making and is suitable for all ages. The Rhapsody Orchestra warmly welcomes new audience member, particularly those who may be attending an orchestral concert for the first time.

🙌Meet our guest conductor Dario Broccardo 🙌

Dario Broccardo is as a passionate music educator, sought-after musical director, and conductor. He began his musical training at the National School of the Arts, matriculating in 1993, and graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1998 with majors in percussion and composition. He launched his professional career as a freelance percussionist and flautist. Over a career spanning more than 30 years, he has shared the stage with international artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Bryan Adams and The Three Tenors, as well as South African icons Johnny Clegg and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

His conducting career began as a stand-in conductor for the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra and the National School of the Arts Orchestra. Following the successful performance of his original composition Missa Sancti Ursi, he was appointed full-time conductor of the Johannesburg Bach Choir. In 2010, Broccardo relocated to the Eastern Cape to take up the position of music teacher and choir conductor at Kingswood College. During this time, he also served as conductor of the Rhodes University Choir for one year and led the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra’s outreach orchestra for three years.

He later moved to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) to assume a similar role at Alexander Road High School, where he is currently Head of the Music Department and Director of the Concert Band, widely regarded as one of the city’s leading school bands. At Alexander Road, he has conducted major school productions including Cinderella (2019), Into the Woods (2022), Sister Act (2023), and Cabaret Fantasia (2024), leading to subsequent conducting opportunities for large-scale productions such as The Sound of Music (2019), Matilda (2022), Hairspray (2023), and Annie (2025).

Leading the Rhapsody Orchestra marks his first “out-of-town” conducting experience, an opportunity he regards as a true honour and privilege. He looks forward to collaborating with Bloemfontein’s fine musical talent – and to spotting as many birds as possible at Naval Hill.