"Tango Bar" - Por Una Cabeza - Carlos Gardel (Arranged Wolfgang Birtel): Ryo Nitta (Violin) - Frank Sturgess (Piano) - Chris Liebenberg (Videography). Recorded 4 February 2023
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Ryo was born in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture in Western Japan on 4 December 2008. At the age of six he moved to Johannesburg, South Africa together with his mom.
He commenced his violin studies with Frank Sturgess in 2017 at the age of eight. These have since been expanded to include Music Theory and Chamber Music. In 2022 he participated in the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival to which he will be returning in 2023.
Ryo is currently a grade 8 student at Crawford College in Lonehill, Johannesburg. His hobbies include Swimming, Chess, Karate and Boxing.
Ryo plays an Andrea Borelli Violin made in Parma in 1735.
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Frank was born in 1959 in Ermelo, South Africa. The youngest of five boys, he grew up on a farm in the district and attended mostly local schools. His first formal introduction to music was in the form of piano lessons at the local convent from the age of 8. Upon reaching high school the clarinet was added. This instrument was after two years exchanged for the viola.
Upon completing high school, Frank went on to further his study of the piano under Peggy Haddon and viola under Walter Mony at the University of the Witwatersrand. During this time, he was a member of the SABC Junior Symphony Orchestra. He later also studied English Literature and Philosophy at the University of South Africa.
Towards the end of a rather unhappy and tumultuous period of military conscription (which included a court martial), he again took up the clarinet for a period as a member of the Light Horse Regiment band.
After commencing a music teaching career during the 80’s, he worked for several years as a farmer and later as a pilot/flying instructor and has since 2007 again become fully involved in the field of music education. During this time, he has been the manager of the MIAGI Youth Orchestra as well as the founder and coordinator of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls Music Programme where he also taught music and coached ensembles.
Since 2012 Frank has dedicated himself to his private teaching studio at his home in Jukskei Park, Johannesburg, where he teaches piano, violin, and viola. He also runs a weekly chamber music coaching programme that has become affectionately known as “Sunday's in the Park with Frank”
Frank was previously married to Susan Jobson. The couple had three children Matthew, Nicola, and Hayley. His hobbies have included chess, squash, flying, sailing, and gardening.
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