Baroque Bridges

Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime performance of Baroque and Early Classical music by the combined forces of award-winning chamber group Ensemble Hesperi and the renowned South African Buskaid Soweto String Ensemble.

For this special collaborative project, generously supported by a grant from the Continuo Foundation, Hesperi and Buskaid present a joyful programme of familiar favourites and lesser-known gems for strings, recorder and harpsichord, building musical bridges across time, borders and cultures.

Programme to include: a string arrangement of Johann Sebastian Bach’s motet Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied; two sparkling movements from Georg Philipp Telemann’s suite in A minor for recorder and strings; a string symphony by the French composer and performer of African descent, Joseph Bologne; a stunning trio sonata by George Fredrick Handel; and charming dances by British-African abolitionist and composer Ignatius Sancho. The concert will also feature compelling rhythms and haunting melodies from Jean Philippe Rameau, one of the Buskaid musicians' favourite composers, and we celebrate both ensembles' affection for Henry Purcell with a selection of incidental music from Purcell’s King Arthur and Faerie Queen.

The concert will end, as Buskaid concerts always do, with Kwela music, an improvised genre of street music with roots in traditional African township music and anti-apartheid protest songs, arranged and performed (with dance moves!) by members of the Buskaid ensemble.

Performers
Violin: Gabriella Jones; Tshidiso Boikanyo; Keabetswe Goodman; Lesang Malema, Solly Mathipa; Makhadzi Mabogo
Viola: Nthabiseng Madiba; Lesego Mthembu
Cello: Florence Petit; Koketso Mphela; Tebogo Mushi
Bass: Khumo Gumede
Recorder: Mary-Jannet Leith
Harpsichord: Thomas Allery

Ensemble Hesperi is a dynamic period ensemble and UK registered charity, with a passion for bringing Baroque music to audiences through collaborative, research-led programmes and educational projects.

Buskaid is a SA registered charitable trust, which runs a music school in Diepkloof, Soweto. Founded in 1997 by British viola player Rosemary Nalden, Buskaid’s flagship ensemble has an international reputation for high quality, historically informed performances, showcasing their talents across the world with huge success for nearly three decades.

Together, our two ensembles share a passion for high-quality music education and outreach, and pursue a shared mission to bring historically informed performance to new, global audiences.