Nyimbo za Mbao Baxter Concert Hall 21 October 2023

NYIMBO ZA MBAO - SONGS OF WOOD DIRECTED BY KEKETSO BOLOFO CO-DIRECTORS Bronwen Clacherty Thabisa Dinga LIGHT DESIGN Bennie Arendse SOUND DESIGN Izan Greyling CHOREOGRAPHY Sumalgy Nuro Thabisa Dinga Martin Ojom SOUND SCAPES Bronwen Clacherty MEMBERS OF UCT IBUYAMBO: XYLOPHONES & NYUNGA NYUNGA Keketso Bolofo NARRATION & VOICE Thabisa Dinga NARRATION, VOICE & XYLOPHONE Ntombekhaya Halam Bongo Javu XYLOPHONE, VOICE, MBIRA & PERCUSSION Bronwen Clacherty XYLOPHONE & VOICE Vuyisani Mkwambi Mbuyiseli Makhanda XYLOPHONE, VOICE & PERCUSSION Masakhe Tupana Ayakha Soga Lutho Mzongwana PERCUSSION, VOICE, DANCE & UHADI Nare Sebola PERCUSSION, VOICE & UHADI Sinathi Mdingazwe PERCUSSION, VOICE & NYUNGA NYUNGA Lakheni Ntsodo PERCUSSION, VOICE & DANCE Buyile Kokose Siyabonga Kawana Nkuthazo Santi VOICE & DANCE Angela Kekana Ongezwa Hlwele Natasha Ramncwana Lindokuhle Matina VOICE Asiphe Ntyinkala Crescens Katerus GUEST PERFORMER Martin Ojom The UCT Ibuyambo Ensemble presents “Nyimbo za mbao – Songs of Wood” a musical journey of the marimba and xylophones of southern Africa. “Nyimbo za mbao” tells a fictional story about an old man, Akida, who travels from East Africa through Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. On his journey he discovers and creates xylophones, whilst building relationships with various peoples and learning their different musical styles. KAWAJANGA - A traditional Ugandan song rearranged for adungu harp, amadinda and Ugandan drums accompanying a Ugandan dance style called bakisimba. The piece highlights the connection between the east African harp and the amadinda log xylophone. HAHANI - Composed for the Chopi timbila by Mozambican percussionist, Matchume Zango. The timbila is an equi-heptatonic xylophone from Mozambique. NHEMAMUSASA - A traditional Zimbabwean song highlighting the influence of Zimbabwean mbira music on the ZiMarimbas. ULO THIXO OMKHULU - A church praise song rearranged for the uhadi calabash bow and the South African marimbas. The South African diatonic marimba was prominent in Christian churches after its inception in South Africa. This song was composed by the Christian Xhosa Prophet, Ntsikana ka Gabha (ca.1780-1821), the first person to compose hymns in vernacular language. MFUNDISI - Meaning ‘teacher’ in the Bantu dialect. A composition by Matchume Zango which sings about grief and sorrow. Here the original lyrics have been changed to a “thank you” song, sung in Kiswahili, the most widely spoken language in Africa, Chopi from Mozambique, Shona from Zimbabwe and isiXhosa from South Africa. SENG’INKOMO - Composed by Amampondo, rearranged for all xylophones. KADIWADI Traditional Ugandan song, rearranged for all xylophones. TAIREVA Traditional Zimbabwean song, rearranged for all xylophones. HANTIYAWE - Composed by Matchume Zango, rearranged for all xylophones. PROGRAMME NOTES BY KEKETSO BOLOFO