Pianist hits the right notes
WHEN Christopher Duigan taps on a piano’s keyboard it releases velvety reverberations that draw appreciation from captivated audiences, as is expected to be the case when he performs at the St Agnes Church in Kloof next Sunday.
Duigan, 54, is a celebrated concert pianist who has been hitting the right notes for more than three decades, and refers to himself as an independent classical music entrepreneur.
His methods of playing and promoting music have also become a model of study at a leading US music school.
Even the Covid-19 enforced lockdowns that came into effect in March 2020 were not enough to drown the sounds of his music.
With Duigan’s ingenuity and help from some friends, he got to livestream his grand piano performances from his Pietermaritzburg home to thousands of worldwide followers, and chase some of the lockdown blues away.
He shared the home with his former partner Barry Lovegrove, a professor of ecophysiology, who died in March.
“During lockdown, I was stuck at home. All my concerts were cancelled and my career seemed to be disappearing as gatherings were prohibited.”
Duigan responded with one-hour long livestreamed music sessions, using his iphone.
“With time it developed and I linked with a local audio visual expert who was also stuck at home.
“He helped me with mics and other equipment.”
Duigan said Lovegrove’s role was pivotal.
“Barry, because of his technical ability as a photographer and his creativity, started to produce the livestreams for me. I used to play and talk to the audiences. He did the technical stuff.”
Attracting a following was easy for Duigan.
“I have my own mailing list, Facebook pages, and Whatsapp groups, which enables me to connect with thousands of people and share my plans.”
He said he received good support and his shows were for free.
“Locals and people from around the world made donations. With the money they sent, I built my own studio
fitted with cameras, mics and mixers.”
Duigan regarded the home-based concerts as a community project that offered “beautiful and soothing piano music”.
During performances Duigan enjoyed interacting with audiences, talking about the music and the composers.
He quizzed audiences about the music they’d like to hear.
“It has been very uplifting because lots of people connected with what we were doing. Isolating at home made them feel very threatened by the world.
“But the piano music was affirming,” he said.
Duigan said his livestreamed concerts began on March 28, 2020 and were still running.
“Since then, I only stopped for three weeks when Barry died.”
He said he promoted his own concerts and didn’t wait for invitations.
“I hire the venue, do the publicity most often, meet and greet the audience, tear the tickets, play the music, and I help serve tea and coffee during the interval.”
Duigan said he served communities across Kwazulu-natal with concerts on a monthly basis and invited local or international artists on some occasions.
Some performances were staged in the music studio at his home, for about 40 people, and dinner was also served.
“I don’t teach or lecture. I am a completely freelance, self-promoting, entrepreneur and classic music promoter.
“It is a unique career and a new path that classic musicians are taking, which I am pioneering.”
Duigan said The Juilliard School in New York has studied his operations and has used his model and story as an inspiration for students
He described his events as “intimate and authentic”, and aimed at demystifying the experience of classical music.
“Lots of people see it as very austere and formal. I try to bring it to a more realistic and human level.
“Piano music in particular was not jarring but comforting.”
The music he played at concerts was a standard repertoire which included Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy’s pieces.
He also includes ragtime, tango, contemporary piano, jazz music, and in recent years, he played some of his own compositions.
Duigan said he was 7 when he started playing.
“My older sister was having piano lessons and I copied her every time she played. The teacher noticed I learnt what she taught my sister and approached my parents about teaching me.”
He studied music in Durban and Cape Town, completed his Master’s degree, before getting an opportunity to study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Before going to England, he met Lovegrove.
“He said if I wanted to stay in England and continue my career there, it would be fine. If I pursued it in South Africa, he would support me to fulfil my dreams and ambitions and that is what happened.”