Grahamstown, SOUTH AFRICA - Need some music to warm you during these tumultuous times? Listening to Tamsyn Hanslo and Garreth Robertson do double duty on one piano just might be what you’re looking for. Take a listen to their Melodies by the Fire. From the submission: As performing pianists, the lockdown has brought most of our usual engagements to a halt. The need for musicians to play and be heard cannot be overstated, as it is through this medium that they are able to communicate with the world at large. While our situation is by no means unique, in South Africa, we are faced with challenging circumstances brought about as a result of the novel coronavirus. Being surrounded by extreme economic disparities has, in many ways, caused a vast amount of stress and anxiety in our communities. Music, in any way, form, or genre, plays a vital role in fighting the feelings generated by the current circumstances. For us, it is not only a passion but a way of expressing and communicating our feelings. 

 This was an exciting project for us. It is the first time we have had to stage, record, and produce a video on our own. We have learned invaluable skills throughout this process, and it has provided us with a new and exciting platform to share our love for making music with others. The videography was produced with two smartphones held up by a stack of books as a tripod, staged in the comfort of our lounge. We wanted the feeling of peace and tranquillity in our recording, so we decided to decorate accordingly in a low lit room with a crackling fire in the background. 

Programme:

1. Fascination - Marchetti

2. Fur Elise (Jazz Arr) - Riyandi Kusuma

3. St Louis Blues - W C Handy

4. Rhapsody in A minor - M D Smit

5. Romance from 'The Gadfly' (Duo di Pianoforte Arr) - D Shostakovich 

6 Tramping - M D Smit

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