INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed KZN-born composer, cellist and academic, Dr Thokozani Mhlambi is presenting a series of special one-off Durban concerts and events for Heritage Month, embracing multiple genres and influences – from Beethoven to Mazizi Kunene.
Mhlambi, who plays a custom-designed, handmade Baroque cello with gut strings, says the starting point to this concert series came from exploring the life and work of celebrated KwaZulu-Natal poet, prolific writer and Durban treasure, the late Mazizi Kunene.
“I believe that Kunene’s words outline the role that should be played by artists, thinkers and researchers in Africa today. Their work should aim to develop a national ego, in other words, self-confidence in the minds of its makers and its imagined audience. But the work itself must transcend the boundaries of the nation, in order to express the general experience of mankind. Put differently, artistic work must strive to express the human condition, it must not be focused solely on the practitioners own set of immediate concerns.”
Mhlambi’s heritage season starts with a free lunch time panel discussion at DUT Urban Future’s Centre: Towards a National Ego – New thinking on culture, public life and music in KZN and Beyond featuring Prof. Chats Devroop, Thando Nyameni, General Manager at KwaZulu-Natal United Music Industry Association (KUMISA), presented at the Urban Futures Centre, DUT on Wednesday 27 September from noon until 2pm. On Thursday he will do his solo performance in the Playhouse Loft.
The season culminates with a very special performance at the Mazisi Kunene Museum in Glenwood on Saturday 30 September, in which Mhlambi has created a music and spoken word piece using extracts from one of Mazisi Kunene epic poems, set for five-piece orchestral ensemble featuring Marco Marazzi on viola, Simon Milliken on double bass, Roberto Palma on violin, Maxine Matthews on saxophone and soprano Nobuntu Mqulwana on voice.
For tickets/bookings contact, Urban Futures Centre on 031 373 2000 or the Playhouse box-office, tickets are (R150) or Thandeka Mdlalose: Administrator & Programmes Coordinator: 078 172 5154 / Phila Majola on 0725205093 or email him on: phila@wushwini.co.za.
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