Rare chance with composers

IN HONOUR of Africa Month, Capetonians will this week get the rare opportunity to engage with two internationally renowned classical composers and hear how their African roots and the continent’s classical traditions impacted on their work as composers.

Africa Connections, a series of concerts and public dialogues, will showcase the classical music journey from ancient African kingdoms, such as Mali in the 12th Century, to today. Presented by Africa Arts, the series is aimed at fostering a new understanding of Africa and breaking down cultural paradigms about classical music.

Africa Arts Group is a non-profit organisation producing “innovative opera and classical music projects that celebrate the rich and diverse creative talent of African artists”. The concerts feature Nigerian kora master and composer Tunde Jegede and South African composer Bongani Ndodana-Breen.

Today, the Institute for the Creative Arts at the University of Cape Town presents Jegede on the kora. Tomorrow, he performs his original African-infused music with some of Cape Town’s leading jazz musicians at Harringtons Cocktail Lounge in the East City. The series culminates with a gala event on Thursday, featuring world premieres of two new works by Jegede and Ndodana-Breen.

More info: http://www.africaarts.co.za/events