(Dr Thokozani Mhlambi)
Dr Thokozani Mhlambi set to revive music
compositions from yesteryear in contemporary 21st century style
Dr Thokozani Mhlambi (PHD, Music) is on a
mission to ‘resurrect’ the musical craft of African intellectuals from as early
as the 19th century. The three month long archive and digital campaign will
eventually culminate into a live exhibition concert that will honour, celebrate
and revive the sounds of revered intellectuals such as John and Nokutela Dube.
The Early
African Intellectuals as Composers music project is a historical
undertaking that seeks to ‘wake up’ the African to his ancient music
composition and intellectual excellence; as well as raise awareness of and
educate about the birth and journey that has been travelled by compositions of
the past while finding a place for them to be recognized and enjoyed in
contemporary Africa.
Africans (and South Africans in particular) will
learn about and indulge in the revived sounds of Ntsikana, Enoch Sontoga, Tiyo
Soga and lesser-known woman composer Nokutela Dube, first wife of John Dube.
These compositions are among those that will be performed by Dr Mhlambi, who
plays the cello and voice, and an ensemble consisting of strings, UKZN Music
School opera students and award-winning jazz pianist Lonwabo Mafani, a student
at the UCT’s College of Music.
‘We are currently busy with auditions for the
final cast and I am very pleased with the progress that we have made with the
songs which we had to retrieve from the archives of various arts and culture
institutions- some of which are named after the intellectual greats whom I
humbly hope this project will fittingly honour and do justice to their
composition excellence,’ said Dr Thokozani Mhlambi who was awarded the National
Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Innovation in 2017- one of the few
to be given to someone in the artistic disciplines.
‘I believe that more than ever we ought to
celebrate and honour African excellence across all spheres. I am grateful and
very excited to be counted amongst those pioneering this recognition and
celebration of African excellence in the arts sector. This is a legacy project
which I hope will inspire future generations and aspirant composers. It is
poised to disrupt the arts industry.’ Dr Mhlambi continued.
The Early
African Intellectuals as Composers series culminates in a major exhibition
concert. The Durban edition of the exhibition concert will be held on July 26,
2019, at 17h30 at the Killie Campbell Africana Library and Museum in
Morningside. The Cape Town edition takes place in September.
The project is supported by the National Arts
Council, the Mazisi Kunene Museum (who are currently hosting Mhlambi as an
Artist-in-Residency), Durban Music School, Afropolitan Explosiv, Urban Futures
Centre at DUT and the Killie Campbell Africana Library, a part of UKZN
Posts
