Hugely acclaimed South African cellist, singer and composer Abel Selaocoe, who has continued his meteoric rise to global stardom during the first half of 2023 with a string of prestigious performances and collaborations, award wins, rave reviews, accolades and honours, has announced a six-date UK tour with his Bantu Ensemble. Featuring Alan Keary (bass), Fred Thomas (piano) and Dudu Kouate (percussion), the group will travel to Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds and London performing music from Selaocoe’s debut album Where Is Home (Hae Ke Kae), which was released on Warner Records in 2022 and received plaudits across the musical spectrum.
Continually singled out as one of his generation’s most exciting young musicians, Selaocoe recently toured with Ludovico Einaudi, opening for the superstar pianist on two of his sold-out arena shows, performed by invitation of Carnegie Hall in New York to launch Apple Classical, and has just been announced as the first ever Artist in Association of BBC National Orchestra of Wales for a partnership that will last three years and will include performances as a soloist, education and outreach projects and new commissions. Selaocoe is currently Artist in Association with BBC Singers for three years.
Selaocoe also recently composed and performed two new concertos – Four Spirits, which received its world premiere with the BBC Scottish Symphony and Taavi Oramo, and his double concerto for kora and cello (composed with Seckou Keita and Barak Schmool) which premiered with the Ulster Orchestra and Fiona Monbet. Four Spirits will be performed with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican as part of this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival in November.
Selaocoe has been the recipient of numerous awards in recent months including the Newcomer Award at the BBC Music Magazine Awards, the Instrumentalist Award at the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards, and the Fusion Award at the Songlines Magazine Awards.
Abel Selaocoe and The Bantu Ensemble UK Tour 2023
- 1st November – Birmingham The Mill
- 2nd November – Newcastle Boiler Shop
- 3rd November – Liverpool Hanger 34
- 4th November – Leeds Stylus
- 5th November – London KOKO
Check out Abel Selaocoe perform on BBC 2’s Later With Jools Holland, below:
Find out more via Selaocoe’s Website or Facebook
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