nonclassical X The African Concert Series // African Classical

Rebeca Omordia's African Concert Series has not only been showcasing the music composers from the African diaspora, but it has been demonstrating quite how focused on Europe the classical music scene still is. Now Omordia is collaborating with another figure who has been challenging perceptions of what contemporary classical music is, composer, producer and DJ Gabriel Prokofiev. Omordia's African Concert Series and Prokofiev's nonclassical are collaborating on a two-day festival, nonclassical X The African Concert Series which celebrates the diversity of African music and encourages to question what classical music is and how it can be experiences.

There are two events, on 4 May at the Iklectik Art Centre, Old Paradise Yard, SE1 7LG and 8 May at the Africa Centre, SE1 0BL. The event at Ilkectik features solo, collaborative and electronic sets. Piano works intertwined with field recordings performed by Rebeca Omordia and Gabriel Prokofiev, kora player and cellist Tunde Jegede give a solo set and then join Nigerian sound artist and violist, Ibukun Sunday for a new collaboration. The night will end with a live electronics sets.

On 8 May at the Africa Centre, there will be a panel discussion with festival artists and ethnomusicologists coming together for (Re)defining African Classical Music. Then Bex Burch and Afla Sackey, performing original compositions and presenting Ghanian music from contrasting regions using voice, djembe and the Gyil (Ghanaian Balafon). Finally the rising stars of the world music community, the Krar Collective, showcase the traditional Ethiopian krar lyre, with the group’s unique take on Ethiopian music; with DJ sets from Blasio Kavuma.

Full details from the event website.