Private Project

Concerto

Thirty years after her debut performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s "Piano Concerto No. 2", renowned South African pianist and professor Nina Schumann prepares to return to the stage to perform the piece again. This time, however, she faces a profound new challenge: diagnosed with focal dystonia (an involuntary muscle-spasm disorder) and Parkinson's disease, Schumann is gradually losing the technical skill that once defined her as a virtuoso. Despite this, her deep musical intuition and passion remain unwavering, fuelling her desire to keep performing.

"Concerto" follows Schumann through her final week of preparation for the concert, blending present-day footage with archival clips from her prime. This juxtaposition captures the transformation of an artist confronting profound loss yet finding renewed purpose in the realisation that while technique may fade, the soul of music endures.

  • Jurg Slabbert
    Director
  • Jurg Slabbert
    Writer
  • Christiaan Boonzaier
    Producer
  • NIna Schumann
    Producer
  • Jurg Slabbert
    Producer
  • Nina Schumann
    Key Cast
  • Roxanne Dalton
    Cinematographer
  • Jurg Slabbert
    Location Sound Recordist
  • Jurg Slabbert
    Editor
  • Morné Marais
    Sound Designer
  • Morné Marais
    Sound Mixer
  • Roxanne Dalton
    Colourist
  • Christiaan Boonzaier
    Subtitler
  • Graeme McCree
    Poster Designer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    16 minutes 29 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 13, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    8,125 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    South Africa
  • Country of Filming:
    South Africa
  • Language:
    Afrikaans, English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Jurg Slabbert

Jurg Slabbert is a South African film director and editor, currently based in Cape Town. He started his career in multimedia journalism, before shifting his focus to documentary film, graduating with an MA in Documentary Film Directing (cum laude) from the DOC Nomads Consortium in 2017.

Apart from lecturing film at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Stellenbosch University, he’s worked in many roles in the South African film industry, including directing and editing multiple episodes of lifestyle and true-crime TV series. In 2022, his first fiction short, “Aan/Af” (English: On/Off), premiered, before showing at over 115 festival on 6 continents.

Jurg is co-owner of What a Coincidence Productions with his husband. They are debuting their first short doc, “Concerto”, in 2025. In addition, they are developing their second fiction short, “Bushalte” (English: Bus Stop), their first documentary series, “The Magic Lab”, and their first documentary feature, “Goliath”, together.

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Director Statement

With Concerto, I set out to explore the essence of artistry, resilience, and the enduring spirit of a musician in the face of profound loss. Nina Schumann’s journey captivated me, not simply because of her immense talent but because of her unwavering dedication to music as she faces the heartbreaking physical limitations imposed by focal dystonia and Parkinson’s disease.

The piece she returns to, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, holds deep personal significance; it marked the beginning of her career, a point when her skill and artistry were untouched by any constraints. Now, three decades later, Nina approaches it with the wisdom and poignancy that come from years of experience and the stark reality of her condition. I wanted this film to juxtapose her past and present performances, using archival footage to reveal not only her technical mastery but also her evolution as an artist who has transitioned from precision to intuition.

Through Concerto, I hope to share Nina’s story of resilience and transformation, emphasising that while our bodies may limit us, they cannot contain our spirit. Watching her channel her passion into each note, I was reminded that the true soul of music lies beyond flawless technique – it is an intimate expression of our humanity, one that cannot be diminished by time or ailment.