Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke: “Twenty-Four Studies in African Rhythms” and “Sonata No. 3”

AfriClassical has received an update from Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke:
“Last Thursday (May 15, 2008) was a milestone in the life of my
Twenty-Four Studies in African Rhythms Volume I. It was one year old from the publication date and we’ve since topped $5000 selling the scores and audio rendition CDs as fundraisers for the African Chorus organization! Now, that’s a feat even the big publishing firms would be proud of, but it was achieved with our little outfit, African Music Publishers, a fundraising unit for the St. Louis African Chorus. Something is clicking out there, I don’t know exactly what yet, but something is clicking…

And I should never forget to thank each of you for your promotional efforts. I really am indebted to you all, especially some of you our benefactors who’ve preferred to remain anonymous. But let me single out the efforts of pianists William Chapman Nyaho (http://nyaho.com/) who in the last year has performed selections of the Studies in concerts around North America and Silvia Belfiore (http://www.silviabelfiore.it/) who’s attracting new friends for the Studies around Italy. I’ve since released some of my scores to our Amazon.com storefront. That link at http://www.amazon.com/shops/african-music-publishers

Volume II is now being compiled. Five studies down now; seven more to go… Naturally, I’ve dedicated Study 24 to William Chapman Nyaho and Study 20 to Silvia Belfiore. Oh, keep your ears perked for the release of Nyaho’s new CD, Asa, on MSR Classics label….”

He adds: “[T]here is a practice CD for all 12 Studies in Volume I of the Twenty-Four Studies in African Rhythms. And Nyaho’s new CD, Asa, includes six of the Studies.”

Dr. Onovwerosuoke has completed Sonata No. 3 for Two Pianos, commissioned by the Nyaho/Garcia Piano Duo. The St. Louis African Chorus has also compiled a new choral anthology, Songs of Africa, which has been edited by Dr. Onovwerosuoke. It will be published this Summer by Oxford University Press.






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