Unyazi IV electronic music festival announced
JOBURG - The latest and most innovative local and international talent in electronic music will be featured at an anticipated festival this year.
The Unyazi IV Electronic Music Festival, part of the Fak’ugesi: Digital Africa Festival hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand, will take place in September.
Unyazi curator and lecturer in composition and music theory at the university, Cameron Harris, said the festival was one of the “very few” African festivals dedicated to the latest developments in electronic and electro-acoustic music.
“This year’s festival will feature innovative and experimental music from Africa and the rest of the world, with a focus on collaboration between South East Asian and South African artists,” he said.
The festival will also emphasise the interaction between South African musicians and composers, and those from Asia including Tomoko Momiyama and Kazuhisa Uchihashi (Japan), Alfred Harth (South Korea/Germany), and Carl Stone (Japan/USA).
Ravish Momin (USA) and Lukas Ligeti (Austria/USA) will also perform at the festival.
Among the local artists who will participate in the festival are Frank Mallows, Brydon Bolton, and the South African New Music Ensemble.
“Festival-goers can also look forward to a well-equipped listening room, set to be a focal talking and listening point of Unyazi IV,” said Harris.
“Featuring high-quality AV equipment and surround sound, the room will be aurally and physically at the centre of activities, positioned equidistant from all the concert venues.”
Harris explained that the room would function as a listening library at certain times during the day, and that visitors would be able to select from a large bank of music related to the festival.
“At other times, the room will become the stage for directed listening events, and illustrated composer talks and presentations,” he said.
First launched at the university in 2005, the festival this year will be presented by NewMusicSA, the Wits Art Museum, and the Goethe-Institut.
The festival will take place from 9 until 13 September at various locations in and around the inner city.
Details: www.newmusicsa.org.za
