Early African Intellectuals as Composers of Music

After a successful launch hosted in conjunction with the Urban Futures Centre at the Durban University of Technology and subsequent sold-out performances at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown / Makhanda; the Early African Intellectuals as Composers of Music project is enjoying positive reviews among arts and classical music commentators, academia, as well as in the media.

The ground-breaking initiative is the brainchild of the internationally acclaimed Dr Thokozani Mhlambi (PhD, Music).

Launched in a seminar form to an audience of artists, creatives, music teachers, professors and media; the project was presented as a rich combination of intellectualism and creativity which fundamentally came about owing to a need to unearth, expose and honour African artistic heritage which would have otherwise remained buried and unremembered in the halls of history along with other African content that is shunned just because of its African origins.

'The intention is to go back to these ancient compositions and see how best we can deliver them today using the means that we have,' said Dr Thokozani Mhlambi during his presentation. He took the audience along on the journey travelled to uncover the archival related material to the compositions of early African intellectuals through a video documentaryÑthe official introduction to the project's digital campaign which, following the launch, forms the second and key educational component of the project.

Dr Mhlambi also rendered a solo extract from what he terms 'The Ntsikana Moment' which honours and is a revival of Xhosa prophet, Ntsikana's music. To close off the event, he together with opera students from UKZN delivered a piece Reuben Caluza from the 1920s. Caluza was the first African to receive a music degree in the country. The piece called 'i-Land Act,'relates the tragic consequences of the controversial land act which many early African intellectuals, including Sol Plaatje and John L Dube, stood against.

The project has attracted interest from even beyond South African boarders as researchers from as far as the USA have begun to engage Dr Mhlambi on the methodology and timing of the research and performance initiative.

Venue: Killie Campbell Africana Library, 220 Gladys Mazibuko Rroad, Durban Time: 5:30pm Suggested Dresscode: Afropunk (but dress warm!) Tickets: on a Pay What You Can donation basis. Welcome drink on arrival

For more info: africanintellectualscomposers@gmail.com