SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2024 · 7 PM
ABEL SELAOCOE
& MANCHESTER COLLECTIVE
SIROCCO
THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL
Sirocco is a celebration of folk traditions from around the world, led by the inimitable Abel Selaocoe, a musician described as “a star in the making,” (The Arts Desk) and UK-based Manchester Collective for a program that weaves between original settings of African music, Danish folk songs, and classical music like you’ve never heard it before. When this program toured across the UK and Europe, critics described it as a “deeply moving” and “once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
South African cellist Abel Selaocoe is a rapidly rising star who is redefining the parameters of the cello. He moves seamlessly across a plethora of genres and styles, from collaborations with world musicians and beatboxers, to concertos and solo performances. Selaocoe combines virtuosic performance with improvisation, singing and body percussion, and is devoted to composing works and curating programmes that highlight the links between Western and non-Western musical traditions, broadening the horizons of classical music to reach a more diverse audience.
In April 2022, following his hugely successful debut, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra announced Selaocoe as Artistic Partner for an initial three seasons from 2022–23. He is also Artist in Association with the BBC Singers and Artist in Residence at London’s Southbank Centre for the 2022–23 season with performances there throughout the season, including an exclusive performance of his debut album Where is Home? released in 2022. Further tour performances include Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Lucerne Festival, Berliner Philharmonie, Kolner Philharmonie and Antwerp deSingel, among others.
In the 2022–23 season Selaocoe gives the world premiere of a new double concerto for kora and cello with Seckou Keita and the Ulster Orchestra in March 2023, co-commissioned by Orchestre national de Bretagne, Ulster Orchestra and Southbank Centre, and the world premiere of his solo cello concerto with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in March 2023, with subsequent US premiere with Seattle Symphony in April ’23.
In 2016, Selaocoe formed Chesaba, a trio specializing in music from the African continent, including many of his own compositions. He enjoys close collaborations with musicians from a medley of genres, including Bernhard Schimpelsberger, Tim Garland, Seckou Keita, Giovanni Sollima, Dudu Kouaté, Famoudou Don Moye and Gwilym Simcock. He has a close partnership with Manchester Collective, with whom he devised the hugely successful Sirocco which has been enjoyed both live and digitally by audiences since 2019 and The Oracle, which toured the UK in 2022.
Known for their experimental programming and daring collaborations, the work of Manchester Collective has expanded at breakneck speed since their formation in 2016 by co-founders Adam Szabo and Rakhi Singh. They now play in concert halls, gig venues and factory spaces across the UK and internationally, performing a combination of cutting-edge contemporary music, classical masterpieces, and staged work.
Crossing different genres and art forms, new music is of vital importance to the Collective. In recent years, they have commissioned major works by artists including Edmund Finnis, Hannah Peel, Lyra Pramuk, and Laurence Osborn. In 2021, they made their Royal Albert Hall debut as part of the BBC Proms Festival and are currently artists-in-residence at the Southbank Centre in London. Their second album, Shades, was released in March 2022.
“Selaocoe has tapped into the magic of making every and all music come to life and find meaning and engagement with the audience, with fabulous success.”
– Number 9 Arts Reviews