Graham Fitch

Fitch was the first prize winner in the Mieczyslaw Munz Piano Competition,{{when|date=August 2013}} and graduated with honours from London's Royal College of Music as a Hopkinson Gold Medalist. He came to the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship and completed his studies with Nina Svetlanova.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} A 1985 review in The New York Times described his playing as "unalloyed pleasure".{{cite web |url= https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803EFDE1F39F933A15753C1A963948260| title= Dance: Duncan Recalled |accessdate=2008-10-29 |last= Dunning |first= Jennifer |date= 1985-10-20 |work= The New York Times}}

During the 1990s, Fitch performed in England, where he taught piano at the Purcell School.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} He was a solo recitalist at the Bournemouth Festival, and appeared in repeat engagements with the London Chamber Soloists on London's South Bank.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} In America he played solo and in concerts with the Trio dell'Arte.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} Fitch was an associate professor at the University of Cape Town until 2008.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} He gave recitals, masterclasses and keynote addresses at the Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference and London's Royal Academy of Music and{{cite web |url= http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/30/1056825343003.html |title= A note of harmony for pianists and pedagogues|accessdate=2008-10-29 |last= Wells |first= Rachel |date= 2003-07-01 |publisher= The Age}} participated in the Stellenbosch International Piano Symposium in 2008.{{cite web |url= http://academic.sun.ac.za/music/temp/schedule.pdf |title= Stellenbosch International Piano Symposium 2008 Schedule |accessdate=2008-10-29 |last= |first= |date= 2008-04-08 |publisher= Stellenbosch University }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

In June and July 2008, the television show SABC Special Assignment{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsa.co.za/default.asp?blogname=special_assignment_episodes&ArticleID=8160|title=Prelude For A Paedophile (3 June)|publisher=TVSA.co.za|accessdate=17 July 2013}} aired two programs which made unsubstantiated allegations that Fitch had had sex with under-age boys and had told colleagues that he was a crack addict.{{cite web|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/i-fled-out-of-fear-says-prof-in-tv-sex-sting-1.420808|title=I fled out of fear, says prof in TV sex sting|last=Brommert|first=Beverly|author2=Helen Bamford|date=18 October 2008|publisher=Independent Online (South Africa)|accessdate=17 July 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsa.co.za/default.asp?ArticleID=8610&blogname=special_assignment_episodes|title=Finale For A Paedophile (15 July)|date=15 July 2008|publisher=TVSA.co.za|accessdate=17 July 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sabcnews.com/specialassignment/features/0206/script.html |title=Transcript of "Finale For A Paedophile" |publisher=SABC Special Assignment |accessdate=17 July 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719102230/http://www.sabcnews.com/specialassignment/features/0206/script.html |archivedate=July 19, 2008 |url-status=unfit }} In response to the broadcast, Fitch filed a complaint with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) alleging defamation.{{cite web|url=http://www.witness.co.za/?showcontent&global[_id]=21622|title=TV show fined R80 000 over molestation claims against prof|date=9 April 2009|publisher=The Witness (South African newspaper)|accessdate=17 July 2013}}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In April 2009, the BCCSA agreed with Fitch, finding that the programmes were defamatory and that SABC had been negligent in broadcasting them, concluding that it was an "unfair trial by the media" and that Fitch had been "degraded to the status of the hunted." The commission ruled that "the truth of the allegations was not sufficiently substantiated and that, as such, the allegations and claims would not be acceptable in a court of law."[http://www.bccsa.co.za/images/hearings/JUDGMENTS%202009/PDF%20FILES%20FOR%20WEBSITE/SABC3/case%20no%20-%2001-2009.pdf G Fitch vs SABC Final Ruling]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} SABC was fined 30,000 Rand for the first episode and 50,000 Rand for the second episode. At the time, this was the largest fine ever levied by the commission.{{cite web|url=http://www.thepost.co.za/sabc-fined-r80-000-1.440372|title=SABC fined R80 000|last=Bamford|first=Helen|date=19 April 2009|publisher=Independent Online (South Africa)|accessdate=17 July 2013}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20161009161653/http://www.grahamfitch.com/ Official website]

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Category:Living people

Category:Academic staff of the University of Cape Town

Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Music

Category:English male classical pianists

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:People educated at Dr Challoner's Grammar School

Category:21st-century English classical pianists

Category:21st-century English male musicians