We returned from our Japanese tour last month after an extremely happy tour.  The Japanese remain, even on this sixth visit, warm and so receptive, and of course, so generous with their bouquets of flowers and they demonstrate their affection and appreciation of David’s playing and personality so generously.  David played in the large cities, but next year we are planning to tour the regional areas, which will enable us to see more of the Japanese countryside, which we believe is very beautiful.

We are busy packing getting ready for our next overseas tour which commences at the end of this month, our travels this time will take us on a return visit to South Africa and Zimbabwe for the first time.  We are excited about this trip, as it will be partly holiday and partly recitals.

We start off in Cape Town with a recital at Baxter Hall on 1st September and are so pleased to be returning to this very beautiful city.  We then catch the Rovos train that will take us through the centre of South Africa and up to the capital,  Pretoria, where David performs on 8th and 9th.  Then the holiday section starts with three days safari in Krueger National Park.  Those who saw the photos on the web page of David with the cheetahs, will know of this love of the big cats so we are hoping we will sight some in the wild as well as many other animals. We then journey up to Victoria Falls, one of the greatest of the falls in the world for three days of leisure and sight-seeing in this very beautiful part of Zimbabwe.  We then move to Harare for a recital and two days of exploring this region.

When we return to Australia we are off to the North West of Western Australia to the stunning Kimberley region.  It is one of the most striking and beautiful areas of our country and a delight to visit. – even with the crocodiles!   Will also visit Broome on the coast, which is famous for its pearls and as a holiday destination.

We have enjoyed our time at home and amazed at our so-called winter.  It has been almost perfect sunshine every day and ranging from 18 to 22 degrees.  I guess some cold weather must come at sometime, but we will be in Africa if it does.

David has just released a new CD INSPIRATION, which contains the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 and Rachmaninov’s Variations on a Theme of Paganini.  We are very pleased to have another orchestral disc available and details will appear soon on the web page.  The Rachmaninov, needless to say, is one of David’s favourites.

Our itinerary for 2002 includes touring Switzerland and Germany in May, and the return to Japan in October.  It does not seem as if a tour of the USA is possible before 2003 or later, but certainly hope we can return as we have special memories of our time there in 1997.

Cheers!
 
 
 
 

                                          ------David and Gillian Helfgott