OLGA KERN, the first woman to win the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 30 years, will play two concerts with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.

The gala concert will take place at the Cape Town City Hall on Thursday 13 June at 20:00. Secure parking will be available.

The Russian pianist will play the Mozart Piano Concerto no 27 in B flat, K595, and the Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no 3 in D minor. 

The orchestra, under the direction of Croatian conductor Alexander Kalajdzic, will also play Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks.

Kern, who had won the Rachmaninov Piano Competition just prior to the Van Cliburn, has been compared to Marthe Argerich.

Considered to one of the most brilliant products of the Moscow Conservatoire in recent years, she has won a number of competitions. Since making her concerto debut at the age of seven with the Varoslav Symphony Orchestra, Olga Kern has appeared as soloist with leading orchestras and in recital throughout Russia, Europe and the United States.

Entrance to the post-concert reception will be R15 (R10 for members). Tickets for the concert are available from Computicket from R75 to R150.

Tickets are also available for the fund-raising dinner and concert at Kelvin Grove on Saturday, 8 June from the same telephone numbers.

Kern will also play a recital for the Cape Town Concert Series at the Baxter on Sunday, 16 June, at 17:00.

HERITAGE lovers, including organised heritage groups from all over South Africa, will gather in Paarl over the long weekend of 15 to 17 June to enjoy talks about architectural conservation and outings to view historical buildings.

The symposium aims to raise awareness of architectural heritage and to try to formalise and streamline conservation mechanisms. This first ground-breaking heritage symposium is being hosted by the Drakenstein and Swartland Heritage Foundations on behalf of the Simon van der Stel Foundation.

This year the symposium will deal with the dilemma of altering old buildings to accommodate modern living and will debate acceptable solutions. The implementation of the new South African Heritage Resources Act of 1999 will be discussed.

Events include a walking tour of the historic Main Street of Paarl, a slide presentation and workshop to discuss acceptability of proposed alterations on early 19th century buildings, and outings to old farmsteads of Wellington and historic Malmesbury.

For more information and to attend, contact Ronel Knaggs on tel 872-8219 or e-mail lraymond@iafrica.com or jrc@mweb.co.za.

DIE bekende Laurinda Hofmeyr en haar musikante kan op Donderdag 27 Junie in die Ou Meulteater in die Paarl gehoor word. Die aand word deur die Afrikaanse Taalmuseum aangebied.

Hofmeyr is bekend vir die musiek wat sy maak van Afrikaanse gedigte - musiek wat spreek tot liefhebbers van ligte Afrikaanse musiek asook meer "alternatiewes".

Die musikante wat haar bystaan, het ook geen bekendstelling nodig nie. Schalk Joubert (baskitaar) en Mike Rennie (viool en perkussie) word gereeld op verhoë gesien saam met onder andere Anton Goosen, Valiant Swart en die Kaapse groep Sons of Trout, terwyl Nina Swart (wat ook kan sing!) alombekend is as Wilmien in 7de Laan.

In 2000 is Laurinda se CD 'Perd oor die Maan' vir 'n SAMA benoem en haar KKNK produksie het De Kat se Slurpie- asook Sarie se Pronkpluim-toekenning verower. Vanjaar is sy en haar groep weer eens in die feeskoerant uitgesonder as "professionele kunstenaars wat die 'kunste' in 'kunstefees' regverdig".

Die program begin om 19:00 en kaartjies is by die Taalmuseum (872-3441), Print Right (872-7209) en by die deur verkrygbaar.

'n UITSTALLING getiteld 'Die VOC in Suidelike Afrika 1652-1795', kan gedurende Junie by die Paarl Museum besigtig word.

Hierdie uitstalling bied 'n oorsig oor die geweldige invloed wat die Nederlandse koloniste op die vroeë ontwikkeling van ons land gehad het.

Die museum is Maandae tot Vrydae van 10:00 tot 17:00 oop en Saterdae van 09:00 tot 13:00.

Indien u die opening van die uitstalling op Vrydag 7 Junie om 19:00 wil bywoon, moet u Jaline de Villiers by 872-2651 kontak, voor of op Dinsdag 4 Junie.

Chantelle de Kock, historiese argeoloog en navorser by Museum Tegniese Dienste, is die spreker. Ligte verversings sal bedien word.