Free Concerts

This page contains info, photos and audio snippets of live FREE CONCERTS held in Pringle bay, where “The Talking Piano” is eager to talk to you.

On Friday 25 April 2025, an icon moved into the Pringle Bay United Church: a 1959 Danemann grand piano.

Click the below same-page links to read about
upcoming concerts,
past concerts,
how you can be part of this experience and
where it all began!

Below is some information about the Morkel family, in particular Henry William Morkel.  He was a talented entertainer and musician, and the Danemann grand piano was his pride and joy, and he shared her beautiful sound generously throughout his life.  
Henry was born on the 17th of August 1930, the oldest son of Henry Morkel Senior, fondly known as “Oubaas”, and Doris May Morkel.  Oubaas was a talented athlete and a Springbok Rugby player, one of the famed Morkels in rugby history, and a member of the first team of Springboks to tour Australia and New Zealand in 1921.
The athletic gene skipped a generation - Henry was an intellect and musician.  He started the Henry Morkel Dance Band in the 1950’s and used to frequent the music shops in Cape Town.  
During the 1950’s, M Müller & Sons was a significant importer of British-manufactured Danemann pianos in Cape Town, and were the first to order a significant quantity, with six pianos being their initial purchase.  
It was on one of these trips to M. Müller & Sons that Henry played the Danemann concert grand piano and it was love at first sight.
The asking price at the time was a hefty ± £2,400. Oubaas did not have the money to buy the piano for Henry jnr, and Henry did not have the budget himself for it as he was in the process of building what was to become the Morkel family home at 180 Main Road for £1,900.00.
Henry continued to visit the music shop to play the much-coveted grand piano and after a period of ± 2-3 years, the owners offered the piano to him at the reduced price of £900, as they could just not sell it at the time.
The piano was moved to 180 Main Road, an innovative art deco designed home with a large entertainment area and a band stand.  Henry’s extensive bachelor pad and entertainment home soon became a home for a family when he married Auret (Rykie) Jeannet Immelman, and the next generation grew up under this beautiful piano.  
Their children Henry Jnr, Russell and Monique were all athletically inclined and grew up in a household which hosted many celebrations around the stately concert grand.  Decades of family and friends’ birthdays, christenings, celebrations and a rich music-filled life followed.  Although Henry was a classically trained pianist, he could play many other instruments, including the guitar, harmonica, accordion, and drums too.  His superpower was the ability to play just about any music by ear!
Henry planned his playlists carefully, always designed to keep his audiences on the dance floor.  We have treasured memories of his evening practice sessions where the tunes of Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Glen Miller’s swing and many other favourites floated through his home.  
Henry was also innovative - he purchased keyboards and created backing tracks for a more up-to-date sound in later years.
Henry’s first grandchild was Amber, born in 1992, followed by Megan, Gabriella and Tatum.  His grandchildren learned to play their first simple tunes on the piano, and although they have not become pianists, the musical and athletic genes were expressed through dancing and “hekkies” by his beautiful granddaughters.
Henry and Rykie downscaled and moved homes in 1993, and the piano moved to the Helderberg Village Retirement estate, where Henry was the resident pianist for about 20 years. 
The piano moved back to Henry’s home after the premature passing of his beloved Rykie in 2005 and on 25 April 2025, the piano moved to the United Church in Pringle Bay.
On a personal note and a treasured family memory which illustrates the impact Henry and his piano had on the community, Heather's (married Russell in 1987) parents John and Tina Pender, who were dating during the mid 1960’s attended one of Henry’s famous dance evenings in Cape Town, and were awarded a prize for the happiest couple on the dance floor by the band. 
The family lost Henry in 2021 at the age of 91, and he celebrated his music and piano until the end.  Henry Jnr, Russell and Monique inherited this grand old beauty, and would like to have kept it for the future Morkel generations;  a much loved and sentimental piece. As she was not played anymore his family felt the need to share her beautiful sound with others, specifically the Pringle Bay community, where Russell and Heather have settled.