African Concert Series 2019

Following the success of the first programmes of African Art Music at the October Gallery, earlier this year, curated by artistic director Rebeca Omordia [see my interview with Rebeca], a further seven have been scheduled up to December 2019, with the first one from pianist Adam Heron tonight (20 June 2019)

Omordia’s aim was to establish a platform for African Art Music, the richly diverse genre of music that originated in Ghana and Nigeria, which forms a bridge between Western classical music and traditional African music.

The programmes take place every month on June 20, July 17, September 19, October 6, November 1 and 29 and December 5 and feature composers from Nigeria, Uganda, Morocco and Guadaloupe including Godwin Sadoh often referred to as the father of modern Nigerian Art music, Justinian Tamusuza blending traditional Ugandan styles with Western classical, the celebrated Ayo Bankole and Joseph Boulogne, the first African-American composer to be performed by a major orchestra.

Full details from the series website.