Mozart in Africa

Two music traditions at opposite ends of the spectrum collide in Mozuluart ? a fusion of classical and Southern African music. Austrian pianist Roland Guggenbichler talks to TOB about working with Zimbabwean vocalists Ramadu, Vusa Mkhaya Ndlovu and Blessings Nqo Nkomo.

You say you?ve long had an interest in world music even before its popularisation. What attracts you to the fusion of genres?
Throughout my whole musical upbringing I was opened to different kinds of music. My grandfather was an accordion player. My grandmother was from Tyrol, Austria; I would hear her sing Tyrolean folk songs. My parents were also big Beatles fans. But at the Conservatory the focus was on classical music. I was playing in an Afro-Cuban band at 16, which was good preparation for this project.

Did you have any knowledge of African music before meeting Zimbabwean singers Vusa, Blessings and Ramadu?
I knew about some of the most popular artists but I didn?t have a deep understanding. We met in a tour with Dutch blues artist Hans Theessink. When we spent time together they started to teach me songs from Southern Africa.

What was the original inspiration for the project?
Ramadu, Vusa and Blessings had been living in Austria since 1995 and we premiered our first show in 2005. This was a way to integrate Austrian culture into their music. In Vienna, 2006 was named Mozart?s year, to mark his 250th birthday. There was a lot of Mozart in the air already and we got caught up with it. In the beginning we wanted to find a bridge to make the music come together. We were contacted by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, who was doing a big show for the opening of Mozart year. We played our song ?Bheka Kimi?? based on Mozart?s ?Rondo in D Major?? with the entire orchestra on a big stage in front of a crowd of 60,000, live on TV in 15 countries. It was an exceptional experience.

Is there a sense that classical music was stuck in convention and needed updating?
It was mainly about making music. Of course the idea itself is against convention, but it?s not meant as a statement or movement.

Have you had any snubs from classical music purists?
No, not really. Vienna is still somehow the centre of classical music in the world. The classical world is doing their thing, but people were waiting for something like this to happen in Vienna.

You must have quite the eclectic audience.
It?s really funny to see people coming from completely different corners in the same crowd. ?Phakathi? is our version of ?In Diesen Heil?gen Hallen? (?The Magic Flute?). There?s something new in it for the classical people, but there are parts of the concert where we might use a Miriam Makeba [South Africa singer] arrangement that they won?t know and the African audience will. The whole idea was not meant in an academic way. It?s not 100 percent serious, although we do take the music seriously.

Do people get up and dance?
We leave it to the moment. We?ve had people dancing in the encore. We?ve played concerts in German churches where they?d never seen people dancing until our concert.

Do you ever join in the dancing on stage?
Yes sometimes, but it?s dancing while sitting on the chair behind the piano [laughs].

Is this a project with a sell-by date?
Some people thought this project was only aimed at Mozart?s 250th birthday, but our main idea was always to continue. It?s 2013 and we?re still playing seven years on, and could continue for many years. This group has taken me to many places that I?ve never thought I would perform in: Moscow, The Republic of South Africa, Senegal, Moldavia, New York.

What would Mozart say?
I mean from all that is known about Mozart, he was someone who liked entertainment, he liked to dance and live well. I think he could enjoy the concert.

Al Bustan International Festival, Emile Bustani Auditorium.,Al Bustan Hotel (04 972980) Beit Meri Tickets Librarie Antoine ABC Achrafieh (01 718978); ABC Dbayeh (04 521684); Hamra (01 341472); Beirut Souks (01 999650) LL67,500-LL112,500 8.30pm. Mar 1. www.mozuluart.at

Source: http://www.timeoutbeirut.com/beirut/article/11458/mozart-in-africa.html

masters tickets one direction tulsa news scalloped potatoes the ten commandments charlton heston moses