THE BOW PROJECT
with the “Nightingale String Quartet” from Denmark and Mantombi Matotiyana
26 Julie 2009
Odeion
16:00

The UFS Department of Music presents the third concert in the series of Special Project Concerts: “THE BOW PROJECT”.

The Bow Project was conceived by New Music Indaba director Michael Blake in 2002 as part of the National Arts Festival. It has developed over the past 6 years as a platform for South African composers from many different traditions to study and reinterpret or reimagine, for string quartet, the uhadi bow songs of the great Nofinishi Dywili. It was always the intention to undertake a national tour with highlights of the project, and to record that programme for CD release. Following the presentation of parts of the Bow Project in Europe last year, this has now become possible. A young female string quartet from Denmark – the Nightingale String Quartet - consisting of Gunvor Sihm (violin), Josefine Dalsgaard (violin), Marie Louise Broholt Jensen (viola) and Louisa Schwab (cello) will join Mantombi Matotiyana for a two-week tour of concerts and workshops plus a CD recording in South Africa in July 2009.

The original artistic objective of the project was to encourage South African composers to engage with traditional music as a compositional resource. Rather than just using some indigenous elements in their work, they were each asked to make a transcription of a song, and use that as the basis for their work. The Bow Project concerts at the National Arts Festival, with the combination of Mantombi Matotiyana singing the original songs, and a string quartet playing the composers reinterpretations, regularly drew full houses and several times required extra performances. The Bow Project has been hailed both nationally and internationally as one of the most important South African musical projects ever.

ADMISSION:
R50 (adults)
R30 (pensioners, students and learners)
Tickets available at Computicket (Shoprite/Checkers shops, Mimosa Mall Information desk, online at www.computicket.com) or at the doors. Telephonic bookings: 011 – 340 8000 or 083 915 8000.

ENQUIRIES:
Ninette Pretorius (tel. 051 - 401 2504)