On Sunday 26 November, The Centre for the Less Good Idea presented its closing event for 2023, Notes on What Lies Ahead, a collaboration between The Centre and NewMusicSA*.

Taking the form of an experimental concert, Notes on What Lies Ahead is a collection of collaborative performances featuring local and international musicians, as well as Centre artists.

Opening the programme is composer and designer of contemporary musical instruments, Victor Gama. Born in Angola, Gama’s multidisciplinary work has seen him performing in cities across the world. Here, he presents a multimedia performance featuring pieces for the Acrux and Toha instruments from his INSTRMNTS series, and visuals from his field recording project, tectonik: Tombwa.

Gama is alone on stage, and splits his performance between his two custom-built instruments. Activated by Gama beneath the stage lights, the instruments are like sonic sculptures, producing the accompanying soundtrack for the film component of tectonik: Tombwa. Initiated by Gama in the desert of Namibe, Angola, in 2006 with the aim of reconstructing and interpreting professor Augusto Zita's research thesis An anthropology of Utopia: formation of Utopian identities, the film is a striking reflection on research and archives pursued, developed and then lost, tragically.

The footage is of plants, reptiles, insects, endless stretches of highway and crumbling roadside structures. There is a rich narrative at work in the film and audiences oscillate between watching the film play out, and observing Gama at work on the strings of his instrument. Altogether, Gama’s performance is mesmeric and edifying, dreamlike and engaging.

A collaboration between German musician and composer Stefan Poetzsch and South African performer and percussionist Micca Manganye serves as the interlude.

Here, the two musicians engage in an open, exploratory, and improvisational exchange. While Poetzsch improvises on processed violin, Manganye animates and gives life to everyday objects through his unique percussive ability. Together, they perform a free-spirited and atmospheric performance, equal parts responsive and playful.

Concluding the programme is a collaboration between Poetzsch and Cameroonian/German choreographer Bettina Essaka. Forming part of this collaboration are dancers Lulu Mlangeni, Julia Burnham, and Muzi Shili, and musicians Aaron Bebe Sukura (Gyil), David Odoom (Drums), and Manganye (percussion).

A series of shorter, experimental sections, this 30-minute collaboration is full of sonic and choreographic swells, where musicians take their respective cues from the flow, rhythm, and choreography of the dancers, and vice versa. Above all else, it is a performance that speaks to the potential of collaboration across discipline, location, language, and more.

* Notes On What Lies Ahead emerged from NewMusicSA’s partnership with the 2023 OLUZAYO festival, which took place in Johannesburg as part of World Music Days.

– David Mann

CREDITS:

TECTONIK: TOMBWA

CONCEPTUALISER & PERFORMER | Victor Gama

INTERLUDE

CONCEPTUALISERS & PERFORMERS | Stefan Poetzsch & Micca Manganye

SPLASHES AND WAVES

CONCEPTUALISERS | Stefan Poetzsch & Bettina Essaka
MUSICIANS | Stefan Poetzsch (Violin), Micca Manganye (Percussion), Aaron Bebe Sukura (Gyil) and David Odoom (Drums) DANCERS | Lulu Mlangeni, Julia Burnham & Muzi Shili

Splashes and Waves Part 1

Music based on different recordings by New Global Ensemble and ‘Human and Machines’ by Poetzsch‘
Friday Night In Accra’ (Sukura/Boone/Poetzsch)

Splashes and Waves Part 2

Music based on different recordings by New Global Ensemble and Baffour Awuah Kyeremateng (Ghana, †2021)
Prempensua ‘Tiwana’ (by Sukura)

Splashes and Waves Part 3 (dedicated to Kyeremateng)

Music based on different recordings by New Global Ensemble, featuring Baffour Awuah Kyeremateng (Ghana, †2021) Shaker, vocals (song ‘Opono Hini Me’) and ‘Solo in Duet Nr.5’ by Poetzsch

Samples used in parts 1-3:
Compositions by Stefan Poetzsch: ‘Human and Machines’ (part 1) and ‘Solo im Duett Nr.5’ (part3) New Global Ensemble, various pieces from recordings in Accra 2018/Erlangen 2022: Benjamin Boone (USA), SaxophoneAaron Bebe Sukura (Ghana), GyilStefan Poetzsch (D), processed violin/violaBaffour Awuah Kyeremateng (Ghana, †2021) Prempensua (part 2), Shaker, Vocals (Part 3)