(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.