2nd International Bow Music Conference & Concert (29 Aug - 1 Sept) - Durban

MEDIA RELEASE

2nd INTERNATIONAL BOW MUSIC CONFERENCE AT UKZN & BAT CENTRE

The 2nd International Bow Music Conference,  is being held in conjunction with the 12th South African Society for Research in Music (SASRIM) Conference at the University of KwaZulu-Natal from 29 August to 1 September.

Hosted by the School of Arts Performing Arts Cluster and curated by an international team led by Dr Sazi Dlamini, UKZN’s renowned music scholar and well-known township jazz exponent, the 2018 event has partnered with SASRIM in a diverse programme of paper presentations, workshops, select musical performances and documentary film screenings.

As with the inaugural conference of February 2016 the present gathering has attracted a wide-ranging interest of local and international music researchers, bow music enthusiasts and players alike. Of special interest is that a keynote address will be given by Gerhard Kubik, Austrian cultural anthropologist and music ethnologist, titled “Musical Bows and the Spirit of Human Discovery” which will be read by Prof Andrew Tracey, celebrated South African, ethnomusicologist, Emeritus Professor of African Music and composer.

One of the conference highlights is a day-long programme, on Saturday 1 September at Durban’s BAT Centre, which includes free bow music workshops and hands-on demonstrations, a musical bow instrument mini-market, an Afro-Brazilian Percussion Workshop and a demo/talk performance by Colin Offord, the Australian mouthbow inventor and performer.  The workshops begin at 10am and run until 3pm. No booking is needed.

The afternoon will culminate in Conference Closing Concert from 3pm featuring an array of top local and international musical bow performers, among them Madosini (Cape) - umrhubhe, uhadi, sitolotolo; Bavikile Ngema (KwaZulu-Natal) - makhweyana, mbheleza/mqangala;  Prof Greg Beyer and Arcomusical Brazil (USA and Brazil) - berimbau chamber ensemble; Rafael Mathusi & Maneto Tefula (Moçambique) - xizambi, xipendani, xitende, kankubwe; Cathrina Make Magagula (Swaziland) – makhweyane; Mpho Molikeng (Lesotho) – lesiba, sekhankule; Cara Stacey & Jason Finkelman (SA and USA) – umakhweyana, umrhubhe, berimbau and electronics; Mtumbateka Mamatsharanga (Northern Province) – dende.

Tickets for the closing concert are R60 and R30 for students and available at the door.

Registration for the conference takes place via the SASRIM portal online: http://www.sasrim.ac.za/registration/

For the full programme and other information check out www.bowconference.com

Email: info@bowconference.com

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Bow Music Jam at the opening of the 1st International Bow Music Conference at UKZN

 BOW MUSIC JAM at the opening of the 1st INTERNATIONAL BOW MUSIC CONFERENCE at UKZN

The First International Bow Music Conference, opens at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday 24 February. Running until 27 Februaryover three venues (The Innovation Centre and Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre at University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Howard College Campus as well as the KZNSA in Bulwer Road, Glenwood), events include several academic paper presentations, an evening of film screenings, as well as bow music performances – all of which are open to public participation and attendance.

The Innovation Centre (Gate 9 - Rick Turner Road) will be the platform for the presentation of a number of research papers gathered from the call for proposals late last year, and will feature presenters from South Africa, Germany, USA, Brazil and United Kingdom. Registration takes place on Wednesday (24 February) from 08:00 – 10:30 and an optional fee of R200 will include tea and lunch.

The exciting performance programme kicks off on Wednesday with the staging of a Bow Jam in partnership with the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music regular Wednesday night concert series at the Centre. The Bow Jam will feature Grupo Percussao, a berimbau ensemble from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Led by percussionist, composer and Northern Illinois University academic Gregory Beyer, the group will perform excerpts of works from its Arcomusical Project for sextet, quintet, quartet, trio, duet and solo berimbau. Part of the evening’s entertainment will see conference delegates introducing themselves and their favourite musical bows in song.

The Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Thursday (25 February) will host screenings of the films “The Traditional Music of Mali, West Africa” by Salil Sachdev and 'Jogo de Corpo' (Body Games) - The Angolan Roots of Capoeira, directed by Richard Pakleppa, tickets are R10. Friday and Saturdayevening (26 & 27 February) will see an extensive bow music performance programme, with Xhosa bow legends Madosini Mpahleni and Mantombi Matotiyane sharing the stage with other veteran exponents of the rich southern African bow music traditions: such as Lesotho’s Mme ‘Matlali Kheoana and Makhetha Setlaba, Sekuru Muradzikwa from Zimbabwe, Bhemani Magagula and Khokhiwe Mphila of Swaziland, Bavikile Ngema of Zululand and Mozambicans Ernesto Mathusi and Maneto Tefula. Friday will see another presentation of Brazilian berimbau ensemble Grupo Percussao. Tickets are R50 and available from Computicket or at the Box Office.

On Saturday 27th, the KZNSA is the venue for an interactive session of bow music workshops, a Capoeira Angola Roda led by Mestre Cobra Mansa (Brazil) and an exhibition of musical bows curated by the conference convenor Dr Sazi Dlamini. All are welcome to attend. Workshops start at 10am. Early arrival is recommended to ensure availability.

For further details, programme and updates on the Bow Music Conference and Concerts visit www.bowconference.com

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