NEW MUSIC INDABA 2005
Reimagining Africa

1st - 6th July, Grahamstown, South Africa

Induna

Michael Blake

New Music Indaba 2005 - Reimagining Africa

This year's theme Reimagining Africa takes us on a virtual odyssey around the continent, from Cape to Cairo and Kampala to Tangiers, and we look at how composers construct their African identities both from within and without. In the course of 13 concerts some 40 composers and improvisers, mostly African but with a representation from Europe and North America are featured. Eight world premières, including four new bow pieces, as well as a large number of South African premières, will be given.

Composer-In-Residence

We welcome one of Africa's most distinguished composers as this year's composer-in-residence, the Ugandan Justinian Tamusuza. Born in 1951, he studied at Makerere University in Kampala (where he is currently professor of music), at Queen's University Belfast (where he studied with Kevin Volans) and Northwestern University USA (where he obtained his doctorate). He came to international prominence with his string quartet Mu Kkubo Ery' Omusaalaba (On the Way of the Cross) commissioned by the Kronos String Quartet and recorded on their hit album Pieces of Africa in 1992. His work is largely based on Kiganda traditional music which he learnt to play as a child.

Two major works will be performed at the New Music Indaba: the first complete performance ever of his 1988 string quartet Mu Kkubo Ery' Omusaalaba, given by the Sontonga Quartet, and the world première of a New Music Indaba commission for the piano duo Jill Richards and Michael Blake.

Growing Composers Workshops & Ensemble-In-Residence

Parallel 7-day workshops led by our Indaba 2005 composers/ensemble-in-residence - Justinian Tamusuza, Dawn Padmore, Darryl Hollister & Luc Houtkamp/POW - allow two groups of young composers and improvisers the rare opportunity in South Africa to work in a creative and concentrated environment with our international faculty. Work created during the course will be presented in a public concert on the last day (see Growing Composers Premiéres, 6 July). Composers and improvisers/djs/dancers/computer programmers/live electronics artists wishing to take part can contact NewMusicSA on or Gcisa Mdlulwa on 011 717 1760 or 083 961 3306.Bursaries are available for participants in financial need.

Enoch Sontonga Centenary

This important anniversary will be marked by a set of 13 variations on a very popular theme, Sontonga's best-known work Nkosi.Sikelel' iAfrika. The ANC song for many decades, now the national anthem, it will be presented in different guises throughout the Indaba, one per concert.

PROGRAMME

1 Friday 1 July | 2 Saturday 2 July | 3 Sunday 3 July
4 Monday 4 July | 5 Tuesday 5 July | 6 Wednesday 6 July

Full notes on performers, composers, and works will be available at Indaba events.

Programmes and artists subject to change.

Day 1
Friday 1 July

CONVERSATION: JUSTINIAN TAMUSUZA IN CONVERSATION WITH BRETT PYPER

Friday 1 July 18h00 | Beethoven Room | 40 mins

Indaba composer-in-residence Justinian Tamusuza, Uganda's leading composer whose work came to worldwide attention on the Kronos Quartet album Pieces of Africa talks to journalist Brett Pyper prior to the world première of his new duo for prepared pianos.

DOUBLE DICKIE - MBIRAS, GAMELANS AND PLAYER PIANOS

Friday 1 July 19h00 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 30 mins (15 min interval)

Jill Richards and Michael Blake pianos

Matteo Fargion (Italy/South Africa)
Double Dickie
NMI Commission, World première

Klaus Hinrich Stahmer (Germany)
People out of Nowhere
SA première

Paul Bowles (USA/Morocco)
Night Waltz

Justinian Tamusuza (Uganda)
Ennasula y'Obudongo (The Snapping of the Mbira)
NMI Commission, World première

Colin McPhee (Canada)
Balinese Ceremonial Music

Conlon Nancarrow (USA/Mexico)
Sonatina

After their sell-out two piano concert on the first Indaba, piano partners Jill Richards and Michael Blake make a welcome return to Grahamstown. At the centre of their recital are two world premières: a work for the rarely-used prepared piano by Indaba composer-in-residence Justinian Tamusuza, which pays tribute to the mbira players of Africa, and a commission by the London-based South African Matteo Fargion, based on the music of Neville Dickie, a lesser-known boogie-woogie pianist from Newcastle, England.

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Day 2
Saturday 2 July

AFRICAN ELECTRONIC EXTRAVANGANZA

Saturday 2 July 14h00 | St Peter's Lawns | 1 hr

Sazi Dlamini mouthbows percussion, vocals
Corinne Cooper sound projection

Jürgen Bräuninger/Sazi Dlamini (South Africa)
Yinkosi Yeziziba

Cobi van Tonder (South Africa)
Ephemeral

Other works to be confirmed

Relax on the idyllic St Peter's Lawns and enjoy a spectacular survey of electronic music from North, South and Central Africa with live performance by Sazi Dlamini.

CONVERSATION: LUC HOUTKAMP IN CONVERSATION WITH BRETT PYPER

Saturday 2 July 18h00 | Beethoven Room | 40 mins

Himself a frequent visitor to this country, Luc Houtkamp converses with journalist Brett Pyper, prior to the first appearance in South Africa of his new computer music ensemble POW.

POW - SONGS, DANCES AND RIDDLES

Saturday 2 July 19h00 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 30 mins (15 min interval)

POW Ensemble:
Luc Houtkamp computer, saxophone
Han Buhrs voice, electronics
Marije Nie tap dance
DJ Donotask turntables, electronics
Guy Harries computer, voice
Paul Jeukendrup sound design

The programme will be introduced by the members of POW.

The Dutch have long been at the forefront of the new music scene and the POW Ensemble is a spectacular confirmation of this. Led by mercurial saxophonist Luc Houtkamp, just fresh from winning the most prestigious jazz award in The Netherlands, POW includes members who have worked with rappers and Frank Zappa. But the stars of their show, used as interactive composing-performing media, are, perhaps, computers! Add a tap dancer and DJ/turntablist to the mix, and just imagine the sound possibilities?

LATE NIGHT WITH JAMES WEBB

Saturday 2 July 21h30 | Beethoven Room

James Webb
Site Engaged: A fictional re-mapping of Grahamstown

James Webb straddles the realms of contemporary art and new music, exhibiting and performing in a variety of media both locally and abroad.

For the 2005 New Music Indaba, Webb will spend the 24-hours leading up to his performance painstakingly sampling the incidental sounds of Grahamstown to use them in his show. Part abstract ghost story, part live sound sculpture, the work will explore the hidden soundscapes and sonic energies of the site using found sounds collected through contact microphones, samplers and radio receivers.

Referred to as a "pioneer of Sound Art in South Africa" by Artthrob, the country's leading art publication, Webb was recently in residence at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Kitakyushu and will be performing at UNYAZI in September 2005.

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Day 3
Sunday 3 July

AFRICAN ELECTRONIC EXTRAVANGANZA

Sunday 3 July 14h00 | St Peter's Lawns | 1 hr

Sazi Dlamini mouthbows percussion, vocals
Corinne Cooper sound projection

Jürgen Bräuninger/Sazi Dlamini (South Africa)
Yinkosi Yeziziba

Cobi van Tonder (South Africa)
Ephemeral

Other works to be confirmed

Relax on the idyllic St Peter's Lawns and enjoy a spectacular survey of electronic music from North, South and Central Africa with live performance by Sazi Dlamini.

WORKSHOP WITH BENGUELA

Sunday 3 July 16h00 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 30 mins

The members of Benguela talk about and demonstrate their approach to improvisation. This is a good introduction to their Indaba programme later tonight.

DAWN PADMORE & DARRYL HOLLISTER - SONGS FROM THE WEST

Sunday 3 July 19h00 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 30 mins (15 min interval)

Dawn Padmore soprano
Darryl Hollister piano (*=piano solo)

J H Kwabena Nketia (Ghana)
African Pianism*
SA première

J H Kwabena Nketia
Sandukwom
SA première

Joshua Uzoigwe (Nigeria)
Talking Drums*
SA première

Akin Euba (Nigeria)
Six Yoruba Songs
SA première

Robert Kwami (Ghana)
Piano Piece No 6

Robert Kwami
January Dance*

Akin Euba
Contemplating Life
SA première

Akin Euba
Noliwe's Aria (from Chaka)
SA première

Gyimah Labi (Ghana)
Dialect No 1: The Hunter's Song*
SA première

Joshua Uzoigwe
Four Igbo Songs
SA première

Liberian-born, American soprano, Dawn Padmore is as at home on the opera stage (Mozart to Puccini) as she is singing jazz standards. For her second appearance in South Africa she is joined onstage by American pianist Darryl Hollister. Renowned as advocates of African and black American art music, their Indaba programme is a rare opportunity to hear art music from West Africa.

LATE NIGHT WITH BENGUELA

Sunday 3 July 21h30 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 15 mins

Brydon Bolton electric upright bass
Alex Bozas guitar
Ross Campbell drums
Andrew Parker projections

From the heart of South Africa's fringe electronica scene in Cape Town comes Benguela: the country's only true improvising group - they don't rehearse, every performance is put together in the moment. The threesome, who have been described as an ambient, jazzy, post-rock outfit, promise to make their Indaba debut as mesmerizing as their latest CD, Sui.

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Day 4
Monday 4 July

WORKSHOP WITH DAWN PADMORE

Monday 4 July 14h00 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 30 mins

Dawn Padmore gives valuable advice to composers about writing for the voice and demonstrates with excerpts from her unique repertoire, including her West African programme last night, assisted by Darryl Hollister.

TRIADIC MEMORIES

Monday 4 July 18h00 | Beethoven Room | 2 hrs 45 mins (20 min interval) - Note starting time!

Jill Richards piano

Part 1: 18h00

Michael Blake (South Africa)
Their Souls go Waltzing on
SA première

Michael Blake
Ways to Put in the Salt

Bunita Marcus (USA)
Julia

Kevin Volans (South Africa)
Happiness is a Warm Gun

Kevin Volans
Etudes 4, 5, 6 & 7

Part 2: 19h00

Morton Feldman (USA)
Triadic Memories
SA première

Continuing her exploration of two South African composers with whom she has become closely associated, Jill Richards brings to Grahamstown the next group of Volans Etudes composed especially for her, and works from her recently-recorded CD of Blake's complete piano output to date. As part of the Indaba's ongoing presentation of Feldman's piano music, she also includes the monumental 90-minute Triadic Memories, and, as a foil, two of the reimaginings of Beatles songs from the project by pianist Aki Takahashi.

LATE NIGHT WITH POW

Monday 4 July 21h30 | 1 hr

The programme will be introduced by the members of POW.

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Day 5
Tuesday 5 July

WORKSHOP WITH JILL RICHARDS

Tuesday 5 July 14h00 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 30 mins

Jill Richards gives tips to composers about writing for the piano and piano duo and demonstrates with selected pieces from her repertoire.

WORKSHOP WITH DEREK GRIPPER

Tuesday 5 July 16h00 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 30 mins

Derek Gripper gives advice to composers about writing idiomatically for the guitar and demonstrates with excerpts from his repertoire including his own work. This is also an intrdoduction to his Indaba programme later tonight.

MADOSINI IN CONCERT

Tuesday 5 July 19h00

Madosini
Uthando Luphelile
Yitileni
Wenu Usegoli
Nontwayiyo
Nomatshawe

The legendary uhadi bow singer - star of NewMusicSA's Bow Project - performs a concert of original material, with spoken introductions by Madosini and live translations by Gcisa Mdlulwa.

Eastern Cape born and Cape Town based, Madosini has been described as a "national treasure" and she is indeed the greatest living exponent of uhadi bow songs. She has made several tours to Europe and released a CD on the MELT label. This is her only solo performance in South Africa this year. On 6 July she performs with the Sontonga Quartet in the Bow Project - the Final Phase.

LATE NIGHT WITH DEREK GRIPPER

Tuesday 5 July 21h30 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 15 mins

Derek Gripper guitar

Sergio Assad (Brazil)
Aquarelle

Derek Gripper (South Africa)
Blomdoorns

Robert Fokkens (South Africa)
New Work
World première

Leo Brouwer (Cuba)
Hika, Hommage à Toru Takemitsu

Michael Blake (South Africa)
Three Venda Children's Songs
SA première

Alex van Heerden & Derek Gripper (South Africa)
New Works
World première

Astor Piazzolla (Argentina)
Autumn

For his programme Derek Gripper went in search of pieces with two aims in mind: compositions which reflect (on) South African internationalism and works by South African composers with South African influences in an international context. As well as new work by himself and works composed in collaboration with Alex van Heerden - remember their fantastic Spore by die bek van 'n ystervarkgat premiered at last year's Indaba! - he will play a selection of the best works for classical guitar by contemporary South Africans, with a generous sprinkling of South Americans.

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Day 6
Wednesday 6 July

GROWING COMPOSERS PREMIÉRES

Wednesday 6 July 17h00 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr

POW Ensemble
Dawn Padmore soprano
Darryl Hollister piano

A programme of new work that has been created during the previous seven days by participants in the workshops led by Luc Houtkamp, Justinian Tamusuza, Dawn Padmore & Darryl Hollister.

THE BOW PROJECT - THE FINAL PHASE

Wednesday 6 July 21h30 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr 30 mins (15 min interval)

Madosini voice, uhadi, isitolotolo, umrhubhe
Sazi Dlamini voice, ughubu, percussion, S4

Sontonga Quartet:
Marc Uys first violin
Waldo Alexander second violin
Xandi van Dijk viola
Brian Choveux cello
Corinne Cooper sound projection

Leslie Nkuna (South Africa)
Forgotten Fantasies
SA première

Robert Fokkens (South Africa)
New Work for the Bow Project
NMI Commission, World première

Jürgen Bräuninger/Sazi Dlamini (South Africa)
New Work for the Bow Project
NMI Commission, World première

Hamza El Din (Sudan)
Grandfather's Stories
SA première

Carlo Mombelli (South Africa)
New Work for the Bow Project
World première

Derek Gripper/Alex van Heerden (South Africa)
New Work for the Bow Project
NMI Commission, World première

Justinian Tamusuza
Twadaagana Ku Lw' Omwana (We Sought for the Child)
SA première

The Bow Project has been hailed as one of the most successful aesthetic initiatives to have emerged in post-apartheid South Africa. A celebration of Xhosa bow music and its reimaginings, the project now enters its final phase with another handful of new commissions. In the spirit of the theme of Indaba 05, string quartets by African composers from Cape to Cairo round out the programme.

MUSIC THEATRE TRIPLE BILL

Wednesday 6 July 21h30 | Beethoven Room | 1 hr

Jill Richards piano, voice
Michael Blake piano, voice, metronome
Guest Artists instruments, voices, sounds

Mauricio Kagel (Argentina/Germany)
MM51 (Ein Stück Filmmusik für Klavier)
SA première

Markus Trunk (Germany/UK)
slightly ajar
SA première

Frederik Rzewski (USA)
De Profundis
SA première

We brought you John Cage's controversial Europera 5 and, last year, Tom Johnson's Four Note Opera which had audiences in stitches. Now, the premier platform for experimental music theatre in the country presents three South African firsts: instrumental theatre by established immigrants to Europe Kagel (from Argentina) and Rzewski (from USA) frame a conceptual composition by a young German living in London, Markus Trunk. His slightly ajar for any number of doors, sound and light sources provides the perfect foil for Kagel's hilarious take on the silent film pianist and Rzewski's powerful reading of Oscar Wilde's prison letters.

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Presented by NewMusicSA - The International Society for Contemporary Music, South African Section
www.iscm.org