Africa Utopia Festival 2019
Errollyn Wallen, Dvořák and Ligeti: Chineke! Ensemble appears for its fifth Africa Utopia with works spanning over two centuries.
Southbank Centre’s Associate Orchestra has appeared in every edition of the festival since 2015.
The ensemble performs Spohr’s charming Nonet dating from the late Classical period, Dvořák’s Serenade in D minor, abounding in bohemian melodies and rhythms, and Ligeti’s ebullient and virtuoso collection of Six Bagatelles for wind quintet.
Bringing the music right up to date, Errollyn Wallen’s NNENNA was commissioned for the Cambridge Festival in 2018. Written in memory of Mgbafor Nnenna Inyama (1963 – 1986), NNENNA is scored for seven players. It ends with an arrangement of the highlife song Sweet Mother by Prince Nico Mbarga, sometimes referred to as ‘Africa’s National Anthem’.
Performers
Eric Lamb flute
Armand Djikoloum & Lorraine Hart oboe
Mariam Adam & Berginald Rash clarinet
Andrew Brady & Linton Stephens bassoon
Luke Whitehead contrabassoon
Raúl Díaz, Derryck Nasib, & Deepa Goonetilleke horn
Alex Gonzalez violin
Clifton Harrison viola
Ashok Klouda cello
Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE double bass
Programme
György Ligeti (1923-2006) 6 Bagatelles for wind quintet (1953)
Louis Spohr (1784-1858) Nonet in F, Op.31 (1813)
Interval
Errollyn Wallen (b. 1958) NNENNA for septet (2018)
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) Serenade in D minor for Winds, Op.44 (1878)
More concert info here.
Africa Utopia 2019
13 – 15 SEP 2019
How does Africa and its diaspora shape the way we think about art, culture, gender, race, sexuality, fashion, activism and society? Explore with us over a weekend of exciting and thought-provoking events at Africa Utopia, returning in autumn 2019 in a new collaboration with Indaba X.
For the Africa Utopia Festival's seventh year, they welcome Akala, Ozwald Boateng, Chineke! Orchestra, Noel Clarke, Nathalie Emmanuel, Bethann Hardison, Femi Kuti, Denise Lewis and many more to the Southbank Centre stages.
Africa Utopia 2019: an overview, history, and full list of events. Click here.
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/festivals-series/africa-utopia