In Memoriam Surendran Reddy (1962-2010)
In Memoriam Surendran Reddy (1962-2010)
Surendran Reddy, died on Monday night in Germany, at the age of 47. He had been ill for two years and was in hospital for the last few days. He is survived by his devoted parents Leela and Y.G. Reddy, his brother Rajen, and his daughter Leela, He is also mourned by many close friends, especially Heike and Florian in Konstanz, and I am sure he will be mourned by fans who loved his music, his indomitable spirit, and his larger-than-life creativity and originality.
I first met Surendran at the University of Durban-Westville Music Department in 1983. We had just joined the department as young lecturers: Surendran much younger than me at a mere 21 years old. We bonded immediately, dealing with our shared abhorrence at the apartheid hegemony still reigning over a black institution such as this by transforming it into a surreal artwork. I do not know how I would have survived UDW at that time, without him. I also grew to know and love his family at this time, and spent many hours in their home in Reservoir Hills. We played the piano together, we talked endlessly about music, literature, philosophy, and from him I learned more about the pain of being black in South Africa than I have from anyone before or since. We were once about to enter an empty restaurant in Amanzimtoti together for a cup of tea when the waiter met us at the door, surveyed the empty room and said, “I’m sorry, but we are full”. We did not know whether to be angry, to laugh, or to cry. I think that on the drive back to Durban we did all three.
Surendran (or “Sir Rendran” as he liked to call himself, using that super-upper-class British accent he sported) was a child prodigy as a pianist, winning an Associated Board overseas scholarship at the age of 15 that enabled him to study at the Royal College of Music in London. His piano teacher was Yonty Solomon and he had a wonderful harpsichord teacher (whose name I cannot recall). He majored in harpsichord for the ARCM (Associateship of the Royal College of Music) that he obtained at the age of 16, having already achieved his FTCT (Fellowship of Trinity College, London) in piano, the year before. He graduated with a BMus (Hons.) in Musicology when he was still only 18. Surendran then began post-graduate student at King’s College (London University), where his teachers included Brian Trowell, Reinhard Strom, Pierluigi Petrobelli, Rosamund McGuinness, and Thomas Walker. Visa problems obliged him to return to South Africa, however (it had never really been his home; he was brought up in Zimbabwe) in 1983, without completing the masters degree he so much coveted. He took up a lectureship in theory of music (I think it was still called “harmony and counterpoint” at that stage) at UDW, and held it for two years.
In London before this, he had won many awards, prizes, competitions, and scholarships, and had opportunities to perform at the Wigmore Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, and Queen Elizabeth Hall. (His website www.surendranreddy.com gives more information.) But although his outstanding talent was recognised in South Africa by some people, the climate in 1983 was not always helpful to taking him to further heights. He was a finalist in the SABC Competition for Keyboard players at the end of 1983, for example, in both the piano and harpsichord categories – an unheard of achievement – but, much to his and many other people’s surprise, was not the overall winner. This was a deep disappointment which he took in a highly professional spirit, but the kind of shadows such experiences cast over his life deepened over the years, and it is my personal viewpoint that it is what eventually drove him into what one might call exile, in Konstanz, Germany. He loathed German bureaucracy but he made good friends there, eventually became a German citizen, and had a reasonably successful free-lance career. He also made frequent trips back to South Africa, to performed, and to see his family.
Surendran worked with many great artists, recorded two solo CDs (Reddy Steady Go and Rough’n Reddy) and was a fabulous rock-classical-jazz pianist. He was also a composer. His earliest pieces were pastiches of 18th and 19th-century music, sometimes collected into “suites” that brilliantly combined historic chordal and contrapuntal gestures with his contemporary taste for jazz’. Sometimes his music was pure sentimentality, sometimes, pure irony. This ability to understand musical style inside out made him a great teacher, at UDW in Durban, at Fuba in Johannesburg, and privately wherever he happened to be. One of the last times I saw him he was giving one of his completely wacky and lovable lectures of “Clazz” (his term for the cross-over jazz-classical style he perfected) to an almost empty hall at Pretoria University, along with his brilliant tabla- player friend and colleague from Konstanz, Florian.
His fusion band Channel 18 (Surendran on piano and keyboards, Bruce Cassidy on EVI, Denis Lalouette on bass, and Rob Watson on drums) performed all over South Africa. One of his latest projects in Germany was a duo called “Campaign for Real Time” in which he collaborated with German composer / keyboardist Andreas Apitz in a programme featuring their own works.
One of my best memories of Surendran the artist is the complete cycle of Bach’s 48 Preludes and Fugues that he played to a small audience at UDW in (I think) 1983, on harpsichord and clavichord. It was spread over four days and he grouped the works together into four collections, not playing them in the usual chronological order, but approaching them with the insight of someone who has powers of understanding as a performer that one rarely experiences.
It is hard to imagine the world without him. Farewell, dear friend.
christine lucia
February 1st, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Thank you, Christine, for this lovely tribute. I did not know Surendran well, but remember very clearly a couple of performances of the Beethoven Choral Fantasia we did with him in the Jo’burg City Hall in the 90s. Charming and highly professional, he added a special element to the performances which spurred us all on. It was a pleasure working with him and listening to his artistry. May he rest in peace.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:21 pm
Dear Christine,
It’s very sad to hear of the passing of such an immensely talented performer and artist who lived his art. I had the pleasure of meeting and hearing him perform once only, enough to leave an indelible impression. He did a solo performance at the SA College of Music on a balmy late summer’s day in the late 1990s, and had an audience of students and teachers alike enraptured. His dress which bordered on the exotic, and studied, inventive playing at the piano made a very appealing impression. I fondly recall the conversation we shared afterwards, and the admirable whispers and gasps from a piano teacher to some of her students about Surendran’s playing.
May he rest in peace.
Paul Sedres, Paris
March 4th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Dear Christine,
I am saddened to hear this news of Surendran. We had only recently reconnected on Facebook after a long hiatus and I knew nothing of his illness. He performed with my husband Richard van der Westhuizen and his singing partner Lochner de Kock and I met him when I made a music video for Richard’s song titled Anthem. Surendran loved the absurdity of the video storyline – recorded at a Johannesburg drive-in – and the fact that he appeared to be singing in Afrikaans, nogal. I still love the video and his part in it. He also played at out wedding party and almost stole the show with his Mozart/Andrew Lloyd Webber tribute to us.
I also have lovely memories of him and Lila at our house.
He will be missed personally and for his musical genius.
Suzanne Brenner
March 27th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Dear Christine
I am really shocked to receive the news about Surendran! He was a truly remarkable musician, and I shall miss him very much. I have been travelling and have only learnt about it today!
It was such a privilege to play his beautiful ‘Toccata for John Roos’ at the 11th UNISA International Piano Competition and I have posted it on my website. It would be great to keep his memory alive, by performing his compositions.
Surendran Reddy was an idol, and a great inspiration! Thank you, Christine, for this tribute to him.
RIP Surendran!
Ben
April 19th, 2010 at 9:27 am
I am deeply moved and saddened by the loss of my great mentor,friend and brother Surrendran.WE spent the years-1983-1985 in a very close relationship of Art ,Music and Poetry reading.Our connection and bonding started when I was a final year painting student in 1983.He offered to open my exhibition with Christene and thereafter we stayed at each others houses,in Chatsworth and Reservoir Hill respectively.
It was in Chatsworth 1984 that he wrote HYMN, dedicated to me (one of the four suites)of which I have the Original Music,in his own hand writing.
I Look forward to hearing from you Christene,as I would love you to play it and make a copy for me in remembrance of a great master.
All my love and comfort to all who mourn especially his highly respected family…God be with you till we all meet together someday.
Collin Sabapathy
April 28th, 2010 at 10:31 pm
I am truly sadden by the devastating news I have just read. I saw Surendran performing at the Theatre Rendezvous in Pretoria and was totally captivated by his amazing talent. His total unison with his instrument when playing the piano was marvelous to experience. The world is a much poorer place now … sad
June 2nd, 2010 at 1:35 pm
I have just found out about the passing of Surendran, I am very shocked and saddened. I last saw Surendran about two years ago when he came to stay with me. The visit was quite a whirlwind or should I say more like a hurricane!!!!
We had been friends since the NAPAC days where he was the maestro extraordinaire and I was a dancer with the Company. We enjoyed much fun together. I will truly miss him.
October 2nd, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Here is a voice from switzerland. Surendran Reddy was a guest lecturer at the university of applied sciences st.gallen, switzerland for many years. i was a professor there at that time and will never forget his perfomance-lectures and seminars about intercultural management and antiracism. all students involved in his teaching were sustainably touched both intellectually and emotionally. i also witnessed his yearly piano student concerts which were always a cultural highlight. in the last years of his life he dedicated all his energy in melting together his enormous abilties in different artistic fields with his battle for humanity. at the same time, without being recognised even by some of his best friends, he intensified his composing work and has completed some of the most beautiful contempory music I have ever heard. I am producing a documentary about this outstanding human being and i am looking together with the funding society FAIRPLAY for finance and other kind of support. One part of this film was recently shown at the Tribute to Surendran Reddy Concerts and Memorials held in Johannesburg and Durban in september 2010. Please have a look at the website of surendran reddy which is run by the mentioned society. WE MISS SURENDRAN SO MUCH but his inspiring personality will live forever in our hearts and minds and future generations will have the luck to enjoy the pure and strong energies he brought to us through his works.
January 18th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
I met Surendran in the early 90s when he was lecturing in Windhoek, Namibia at the Conservatoire. I had the pleasure of being present during a recording session when he was laying down tracks for a video production and was fascinated by the ideas that he came up with almost instantly. I remember asking him how he was able to teach adult beginners as he was so advanced and he replied that it was an inspiration to him that anyone at any age wanted to learn music. His ability to accept anyone as a musician on any level was great. We kept in touch when he moved to Cape Town where I saw him a few times and then via Internet when he moved to Germany. I will never forget talking to him on ICQ when he said that he has to leave as the music for a piano concerto that he is performing in 2 hours time had just arrived and he wanted to look over it before the performance.
An exceptional person with an exceptional talent. I am very saddened by his death.
January 26th, 2011 at 8:55 pm
Greetings Christine,
I never met Surendran but I attended his tribute held in 2010 at Howard College, UKZN & i was deeply moved at the love of people for him in that room. His dad’s speech left a lump in my throat for a man i did not even know but have come to deeply respect, admire & appreciate the legacy he left behind. As an aspiring keyboard/piano enthusiast, I felt it important to let you know that although we never met (Surendran & I), he is an inspiration to my future playing of the keyboard/piano instruments – I will definitely share his worth with the world…infact, I already started talking to people about “A touch of Clazz”…I will remember him on my musical journey. May you & the family find the peace & strength to go on…God bless his soul!
Durban, South Africa
January 31st, 2011 at 8:06 am
I was saddened to learn of Suren’s passing…and my thoughts go out to his family.Suren was a childhood friend often misunderstood yet admired for his genius …go well friend.
Pretoris,South Africa
August 16th, 2011 at 11:57 am
I have just learned about Surendran Reddy’s death. I used to follow his career but in the past few years lost track. Y.G. Reddy was one of my teacher at Founders High School in Bulawayo at the age of 10 or 11. When his son Surendran came to Founders, he was the talk of the school because he was just 11 years old. He proceeded to make his mark on the Founders High band and he did his O levels at the age of 14, passing with distinction. There were no programmes for gifted children in Zimbabwe and I am sure it was difficult for Suren’s parents to nurture a gifted child in that environment. I was so glad to see him coming to his own in South Africa. My heart goes out to his parents and siblings.