EAST MEETS WEST

KZNPO presents an evening of Afro-Indi Western fusion.

The KZN Philharmonic presents an evening of Afro-Indi-Western fusion in a concert entitled East meets West at the Playhouse Company Drama Theatre on June 24. The concert embraces various genres of music and dance incorporating African and Indian traditional infused with Western instruments and presentation.

The programme kicks off with veteran Pondomise musician, Madosini, who is widely regarded as a national living cultural treasure. Due to her rural upbringing, Madosini is illiterate and speaks only deep Xhosa but as singer, composer, storyteller and master player of three traditional instruments – uhadi (music bow); umrhubhe (mouth bow) and isitoloto (Jewish harp), she is one of very few living representatives of an age-old culture on the verge of extinction.

The Songs of Madosini aim to showcase her art and its cultural context and is performed with a String Quartet which comprises KZNPO members: Violeta Osorhean (first violin), Refiloe Olifant (second violin) and David Snaith (viola). Composer of this incredible work, Hans Huyssen, completes the quartet on cello. Further accompaniment is provided by another KZNPO member Sarah Douglas (clarinet) with long-term friend and translator, Nosindiso Mtimkhulu providing the narration.

Also featured in the programmed is Pravika’s Kathak Kendra, a classical Indian dance company headed up by Pravika Nandkishore. Having started dancing at the age of four, Pravika has performed around the world including England, Zanzibar, Sri Lanka and India where she performed for royalty, presidents, prime ministers and heads of states. Pravika and her dancers will be joined on stage by traditional Indian musicians.

The stellar line-up is completed by South African multi-instrumentalist, Pops Mohamed. Dedicated to preserving and continuing traditional sounds, Pops explains, "I am on a serious mission to protect and promote traditional instruments.” Pops plays a large number of instruments, including unusual ones like the kora (a harp from West Africa), the mbira (a thumb piano from Zimbabwe), the didgeridoo (native to the Aboriginal people of Australia) and the birimbau (developed by the South American Indians and the Khoisan of the Kalahari Desert).

For Thursday’s performance he will be joined on stage by friends: Olufemi Ogunkoya (saxophone); Daniel Isele (drums); Ekemini Essien (piano) and Olusegun Olusi (bass). Mohamed added that: “If you don’t know where you’re coming from surely you won’t know where you’re going to”.

Thursday’s performance promises a colourful and interesting journey through cultural histories and musical collaborations not often seen on the traditional stage.

The concert takes place at 19h30 on June 24 and the doors will open at 18h30. Tickets R100 (R50 pensioners and students) booked through Computicket. Parking is available at the Royal and Albany Hotel parkades. The KZN Philharmonic has also contracted extra security guards that will be situated in the surrounding areas of the Playhouse Company. For a direct link to the orchestra’s website, click on the advert above.