Sergio A. Mims writes of Chineke!, the orchestra founded by Chi-chi Nwanoku, www.chi-chinwanoku.com:
I'm sure you will be interested in this article.
The Independent
Jessica Duchen
Tuesday 01 September 2015
The
idea is to bring together and showcase the wealth of talent among these
under-represented performers. "It is about raising awareness, trying to
level the playing field, altering the status quo a little bit and
changing perceptions," says Nwanoku.
Born in London to a Nigerian father and Irish mother
,
Nwanoku has been mulling over these issues for years, from her vantage
point as a founder member of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, a
popular media commentator and broadcaster, and a professor at the Royal
Academy of Music. Her recent programmes for BBC Radio 4, In Search of
the Black Mozart, about the 18th-century violin virtuoso and composer
the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, sparked wide interest in historical
musicians of colour.
,
Nwanoku has been mulling over these issues for years, from her vantage
point as a founder member of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, a
popular media commentator and broadcaster, and a professor at the Royal
Academy of Music. Her recent programmes for BBC Radio 4, In Search of
the Black Mozart, about the 18th-century violin virtuoso and composer
the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, sparked wide interest in historical
musicians of colour.
A major example to follow was the
Sphinx Organisation, set up by the violinist Aaron Dworkin to help young
black and Latino musicians in the US. But the ultimate inspiration
struck Nwanoku at the performance
last year by the Kinshasa Symphony Orchestra at the Southbank Centre.
"One thing I noticed at that concert," she says, "was the incredulity on
the faces of the philanthropists and politicians in the audience,
looking at a stage filled primarily with black people." It was with the
idea of changing this response that the Chineke! Foundation and
Orchestra was born.
last year by the Kinshasa Symphony Orchestra at the Southbank Centre.
"One thing I noticed at that concert," she says, "was the incredulity on
the faces of the philanthropists and politicians in the audience,
looking at a stage filled primarily with black people." It was with the
idea of changing this response that the Chineke! Foundation and
Orchestra was born.
She found immediate support around
the classical music industry for the idea, with plenty of offers of
rehearsal space, collaboration and concerts; and, though having never
fundraised before, she sourced £100,000 towards the costs. Choosing the
right name took a while, but one night, says Nwanoku, "I literally sat
bolt upright in bed. Chineke! The name chose the project."
The
word is an exclamation used in the Igbo language, roughly equivalent to
"Wonderful!" in English, she explains. "'Chi' means the god of creation
of all good things and this word hit the nail on the head."
Nwanoku has personally recruited her performers from around the UK and Europe.
"I
wrote to lots of people, looking for suggestions," she says. "If I've
had two or three recommendations for someone then I'd look them up,
check them on YouTube, speak to their old teachers. Some of the players
are just amazing." Most are in their twenties and thirties; some are
older; a few are still teenagers. "Bangladeshi, Indian, Sri Lankan,
Mauritian, Iranian, Caribbean, African, you name it, they're in my
60-piece orchestra. They've come from everywhere."
No
British orchestra today has a black principal conductor, but taking the
baton for this first concert is Wayne Marshall, who was born in Oldham
to parents
from Barbados; he is currently principal conductor of the WDR
Funkhausorchester Cologne. The violinist Tai Murray leads the orchestra
and among other players, to name but a few, are Samson Diamond, who
started on the violin as a child with Buskaid in Soweto; Margaret
Cookhorn, the principal contrabassoonist of the City of Birmingham
Symphony Orchestra; and Charlotte Barbour-Condini, a finalist in BBC
Young Musician of the Year as a recorder player, but here is playing the
violin.
from Barbados; he is currently principal conductor of the WDR
Funkhausorchester Cologne. The violinist Tai Murray leads the orchestra
and among other players, to name but a few, are Samson Diamond, who
started on the violin as a child with Buskaid in Soweto; Margaret
Cookhorn, the principal contrabassoonist of the City of Birmingham
Symphony Orchestra; and Charlotte Barbour-Condini, a finalist in BBC
Young Musician of the Year as a recorder player, but here is playing the
violin.
***
Sir
Simon Rattle has written a ringing endorsement. "Chineke! is not only
an exciting idea but a profoundly necessary one," he has declared.
"The
kind of idea which is so obvious that you wonder why it is not already
in place. The kind of idea which could deepen and enrich classical music
in the UK for generations. What a thrilling prospect."
Chineke! Orchestra's launch concert is on 13 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London SE1 (0844 875 0073)
Comments by email:
1) Thank you for posting. There will be one in the Times soon also. Best wishes, Chi-chi Nwanoku MBE, FRAM http://www.chi-chinwanoku.com
2) Hi Bill, Chi-chi Nwanoku efforts to found Chineke! could do more to promote ‘the cause’ in the UK than any efforts by others in the past. I hope that the organisers of the Proms seriously consider this orchestra for their 2016 season!
1) Thank you for posting. There will be one in the Times soon also. Best wishes, Chi-chi Nwanoku MBE, FRAM http://www.chi-chinwanoku.com
2) Hi Bill, Chi-chi Nwanoku efforts to found Chineke! could do more to promote ‘the cause’ in the UK than any efforts by others in the past. I hope that the organisers of the Proms seriously consider this orchestra for their 2016 season!
Kind regards mike [Michael S. Wright]
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