Fred Onovwerosuoke: 'very tickling to read a reviewer so aptly dissect my Agbadza etude'

[Fred Onovwerosuoke]

Yesterday AfriClassical posted Franklyn Ayensu's article on the Feb. 16 recital of pianist William Chapman Nyaho at the National Gallery of Art: “GhanaDot.com: 'Ghanaian Concert Pianist Chapman Nyaho Delights Washington DC Audience.'” Today a comment was made by Fred Onovwerosuoke, composer:

“Now, that's a great article, Nyaho. For me, very tickling to read a reviewer so aptly dissect my Agbadza etude. Steadily but surely, as we all leaven the landscapes of great music. Bravo, my friend, bravo indeed!

FredO, composer”

Patrick D. McCoy: Fred Onovwerosuoke & Marlissa Hudson are Interviewed on 'Libera' Feb. 3, 11 AM (ET) BlogTalkRadio.com

[Marlissa Hudson, Fred Onovwerosuoke, Libera]

Patrick D. McCoy sends this news about his program on BlogTalkRadio.com:

“Next Broadcast: Composer Fred Onovwerosuoke drops in on 'The African-American Voice in Classical Music' host Patrick D. McCoy with Washington, D. C. based soprano Marlissa Hudson on Thursday, Feb. 3 , 2011 at 11AM (EST) to discuss the new recording Libera, featuring original works and traditional works sung by Ms. Hudson, accompanied by pianist Peter Henderson.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/patrickdmccoy/2011/02/03/composer-fred-onovwerosuoke-and-soprano-marlissa-hudson

Texts of 'Duniya,' 'Esato,' 'Herero Folktales,' 'Luwah,' 'Ngulu,' & 'Ne Nkansu' on CD 'Libera'

[Libera: Works by Bonds, Hayes, Mendelssohn, Onovwerosuoke and Puccini; Marlissa Hudson, soprano; Peter Henderson, pianist; AMP Records AGCD 2106 (47:45)]

Dominique-René de Lerma, whose website is http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com, wrote a review of the new CD Libera, AMP Records AGCD 2106, in which he said of the texts by composer Fred Onovwerosuoke: “Dr. Onovwerosuoke has kindly provided the following texts, which are not available with the recording.”

Duniya (Track 3 on Libera CD)

A-li-sa-lam a-le-ka

Ah-lee-sah-lahm ah-lay-kah

Peace be upon you

Fa, du-ni y’A-llah

Fah doo-nee-yah-lah

Behold, God’s universe

Al lah sum i’l-la-hi

Ah-lah soom ee-lah-hee

Of God, the Merciful

Fa, du-ni ya, lon man di

Fah doo-nee yah lohn mahn dee

God’s universe is beyond

Al lah sum i-la-hi’

Ah-lah soom ee-lah-hee

understanding, Merciful God

Al-lah, aku-bar!

Ah-lah ahk-bahr

Great God

E, ku-ba ja-ma le

Ay koo bah jah-mah lay

Grand designs, perpetual,

tam-bi-ta wa-la sum

Tahm-bee-tah wah-lah soom

and forever

Esato (Track 4 on Libera CD)

O-gi-ni tcha-to-ro ne lu?

Au-gee-nee chah-tau-rau neh-loo

Are these ripe fruits I see?

U-tu-i-sa to-ei!,

Oh-twee-sah-tau ay_ee

Eight peaches, juicy ripe

Ye ghe, ye ghe

Yay-ghay, yay-ghay

Ripe, juicy ripe

U-tu-i-sa-to

Oh-twee-sah-tau

Eight peaches/fruits

U-tu cha-ra-cha!

Oh-too chah-rah chah

Peaches fair and ready/mature

O-gi-ni nu’o na kpo-tu no,

Oh-gee-nee now nah kpau-too noh

What stops us from plucking

O bi-a no cha-to ko,

Oh-bee-yah nau chah-tau koh

Then comes this one

Cha-to ko, bi-ko’e,

Chah-tau kau bee-Koh_ay

Please let my wish come true

U-tu cha-ra cha

Oh-too chah-rah chah

Fair/ripe peaches, mature

Herero Folktales (Track 6 on Libera CD)

I-tu-pu-ka kem-be-per

Ee-too-poo-kah khem-beh-peh

The gently galloping horse

Jo-mun-du O-mu-him-ba

Yau-moon-doo Oh-moo-heem-bah

Of the Himba farmer

Ma-ma u_a-ndje’

Mah-mah oo_ahn jeh

Oh, Mother is very ill

ve-re tji-ne-ne

veh-reh chee-neh-neh

What can we do?

e-ye u_a-ve-ra, ve-re tji

Eh-yeh oo_ah veh-rah, veh-reh chi

What to do?

O-ka-na-tje, o-ka-ti-ti,

Oh-kah-nah-chay, Oh-kah-tee-tee

A little child wanders

O-ke-tam-ba O-ka-ti-ti

Oh-kay-tahm-bah, Oh-kah-tee-tee

In the mountains

Ku-ke-tam-ba Mo-pa-na-je

Koo-keh-tahm-bah moh-pah-nah-yay

The hour is late

Luwah (Track 9 on Libera CD)

Lu wa-h’e- e-e-e,

Loo-way-hay, ay…

Hear my lament

Wu la-a-szre na zhi

Woo-lah zreh nah zee

I’ve never cried

whi-ye-lu we

whee-yeh-loo-way

Like this before

Lu wa-h’e- e-e-e,

Loo-way-hay, ay…

Hear my lament

E kwe-li yen-ga na,

Ay-kway-lee yehn-gah nah

This great loss

Na lu-te ya;

Nah loo-tay yah

Saddens me

Nan-ga na ka ma

Nahn-gah nah kah mah

And startles me

Ngulu (Track 11 on Libera CD)

Ngu-lu i ngulu

Ngoo-loh ehn-goo-loh

(Free translation)

mwe-le-la’n-gu lu

Mway-lay-lahn-goo-loh

Farming,

i ngu lu, mwa-i wa

ehn-goo-loh, mwah-ee-wah

Planting

E, Wan-ga o

Ay wahn-gah oh

With dilligence

Wa-ka-sim-bi-li,

Wah-kah-seem-bee-lee

Moving along

Ma-len-ge me-ne

Mah-layn-gay may-nay

Thus yielding

Mwa te man-gi e

Mwah tay mahn-gee-ay

To good harvest

O, Wan ga o

Oh wahn-gah oh

Wa-ka-sim bi li

Wah-kah-seem-bee-lee

Ne Nkansu (Track 12 on Libera CD)

Ne’N-kan-su di-ma,

Nay-kahn-soo-dee-mah

(Free translation)

wei-yo, ma-meh, pa-eh

Way-ee-yoh, mah-may, pah-ay

Mother Earth owns the herbs

Ne’N-kan-su eh,

Nay-kahn-soo ay

That feed, heal

Ne ku-bu-ko di-ma

Nay koo-boo-koh dee-mah

And make whole

Ne ku-bu-ko eh

Nay koo-boo-koh ay

Di-ma, di-ma’n-so-bue-la

Dee-mah, dee-mahn-soh-bu_ay-lah

[END]

'St. Louis American' on Fred Onovwerosuoke's CD 'Libera': 'Africa meets art song'

[Fred Onovwerosuoke produced Libera by Marlissa Hudson, with Peter Henderson on piano, featuring six of FredOs own compositions along with spirituals and European art songs.]

The St. Louis American

http://www.stlamerican.com

Posted: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 Updated: Thursday, January 20, 2011

By Chris King

“Fred Onovwerosuoke adopted the nickname 'FredO' because of the notorious difficulty of pronouncing his family name, but it is actually appropriate that it's hard to say the man's name. That is because it is difficult to put into words his many talents and accomplishments as a composer, conductor, publisher, arts organizer, folklorist and tireless promoter of new and innovative music. This Ghanaian of Nigerian descent who has made St. Louis his home has a new release on his African Music Publishers imprint that spotlights one of St. Louis' native daughters: the soprano Marlissa Hudson. The CD is titled Libera - no, that is not a misprint for 'Liberia' - and like everything else FredO touches, it is not simple to describe.

“We can start with what is somewhat easy to account for. Marlissa Hudson, who now lives in Washington, D.C., has a fascinating voice that carries intense emotion at the high end of her range and moody soul on the low end. This is art song, not soul or gospel, so she sings with an intonation and phrasing heard in the concert hall, rather than the church pew. To FredO's credit, he has worked hard to open this more formal music to African-American audiences in St. Louis, and in Hudson he has found a talented accomplice. She is backed on Libera by Peter Henderson on piano. In the classical music crowd in St. Louis, Henderson is a name to conjure with - up there with David Robertson, the musical director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, who makes use of Henderson's talents often. Onovwerosuoke, who produced and executive-produced this recording, selected an exciting variety of tunes and tempos for Henderson's expert hands. If the soprano and the songs steal the show, that is because the accompaniment provides the perfect basis for the singer to soar.

“Describing the material takes us into the complexity always associated with FredO's work. Nearly half of the record - six of its 14 songs - could be described as African-American classics, except that a white man, Mark Hayes, composed four of them. These deeply felt spirituals, drawn from Hayes' 10 Spirituals for Solo Voice (accompanied on piano here), treat familiar biblical themes and should please lovers of church music. The same can be said of African-American composer Margaret Bonds' arrangement of 'He's Got the Whole World in His Hand,' which concludes the record. FredO also has selected another Bonds composition, 'Minstrel Man,' from her Three Dream Portraits, in which she scores poetry by the great Langston Hughes. This effort by Bonds has a hint of musical theater to it.

“Onovwerosuoke could have rounded out the record with more tunes like this and gone the relatively easy route of couching this as an African-American culture record. But his style - his mission - is to expand and mingle traditions. That is why the other half of the record is drawn from high European classics - Puccini and Mendelssohn - and African idioms interpreted by FredO himself, who knows one sure way to get your own material performed and recorded is to commission and produce the recording! It's important to emphasize that this is anything but a vanity project for the composer/producer. Indeed, Onovwerosuoke's six compositions provide some of the most exciting and memorable moments on Libera. The African ideas translate beautifully into art song, and you can hear the musicians diving into them with joy and delight.

"These six songs are taken from Onovwerosuoke's 12 African Songs for Solo Voice and Piano, which draws from folktales, lullabies, dirges and healing dances from all over the African continent. The piano lines in his songs are lively and catchy - indeed, though their sources are more exotic than African-American spirituals or Langston Hughes, FredO's African songs have the most popular appeal of all the material on this recording. You may not know exactly what you are singing, but once you have heard Marlissa Hudson sing FredO's songs over the energetic piano playing of Peter Henderson, you may find yourself singing along - and still singing his songs after the recording has spun to a close.

"The music for 12 African Songs for Solo Voice and Piano is due for publication this spring from Oxford University Press, though individual songs are already available through African Music Publishers. Libera and several other FredO productions on CD also are available through AMP. Call 314-652-6800, email amp@africarts.org or visit http://www.africarts.org." [Margaret Allison Bonds (1913-1972) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a complete Works List compiled by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma of Lawrence University Conservatory]

Festival of African and African-American Music, March 31-April 3, 2011, St. Louis, MO

[FESAAM 2011]

Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke of African Musical Arts, Inc. sends us this poster for the March 31-April 3 Festival of African & African-American Music in St Louis, also known as FESAAM 2011, http://fesaam.org/

Special Guests:

Oboist Althea Talbot-Howard (UK)
Pianist Silvia Belfiore (Italy)
Pianist William Chapman Nyaho (Renton, WA)
Soprano Marlissa Hudson (Washington, DC)
Pianist Darryl Hollister (Boston, MA)
Flutist Wendy Hymes (Saint Louis, MO)
Soprano Dawn Padmore (New York, NY)

Call 314-289-4052 for registration and general logistics questions.
Or send email to: info@fesaam.org

Fred Onovwerosuoke's 'Suite No. 2' (in African Modes) Premiered in St. Louis Feb. 6

[Fred Onovwerosuoke]

Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke of African Musical Arts, Inc. brings this news to the attention of AfriClassical:
"Dear Friends, We invite you to bring a friend to a wonderful concert by the Cameron Youth Chamber Orchestra of St Louis, tomorrow Sat Feb 6, 5 PM at the Phyllis Wheatley Heritage Center. Please support this St Louis legacy in their presentation of select Black composers of classical music, including the World Premiere by a youth orchestra of Fred Onovwerosuoke's Suite No. 2 (in African Modes) for String Orchestra.

"Date: Feb 6, 2010
Work: Suite No. 2 (in African Modes) for String Orchestra
Performer: Cameron Youth Chamber Orchestra
Phyllis Wheatley Heritage Center, St Louis, MO. 5:00PM
2711 Locust Street, St Louis, MO 63103
Tickets: $50 (Dinner & Concert)

Come. And please bring a friend. And if you can't come, please contact the Cameron Youth Chamber Orchestra at http://www.cameronyco.com/ to send a donation

African Musical Arts, Inc.
3547 Olive Street, Suite 110
St. Louis, MO 63103
Tel: 314-652-6800
http://africarts.org

'Twenty-Four Studies in African Rhythms' of Fred Onovwerosuoke Jan. 25 by Peter Henderson, Piano

[Fred Onovwerosuoke]

Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke of African Musical Arts, Inc. brings this news to the attention of AfriClassical:

http://fredomusic.com
“Composer Fred Onovwerosuoke’s diverse background has given rise to a varied compositional style. Born in Ghana to Nigerian parents, Onovwerosuoke grew up in both countries and eventually naturalized in the United States. 'FredO,' as friends call him, has traveled in more than thirty African countries doing field work and analyzing some of Africa’s abundant music traditions.”

Maryville.edu
Faculty Recital
Peter Henderson, piano
Monday, January 25, 2010; 7:00 pm
Maryville University Auditorium
St Louis, Missouri USA
“The program features Peter Henderson, DM, assistant professor of music and frequent pianist with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.”

Selected Études, Frédéric Chopin Étude in C-sharp minor, op.10 no.4 (1810-1849)
Ballade No.3 in A-flat major, op.47, Frédéric Chopin

Twenty-Four Studies in African Rhythms, Vol. I, Fred Onovwerosuoke
1. Okoye (1987, rev. 2007) (b. 1960)
2. Edo (1986, rev. 2006)
3. Udje (1990, rev. 2007)
4. Tunis (1990, rev. 2006)
5. Jali (1997, rev. 2006)
6. Iroro (1988, rev. 2007)
7. Herero Wedding Dance (2007)
8. Ayevwiomo Dance I (2007)
9. Ayevwiomo Dance II (2007)
10. Barka (2007)
11. Ayevwiomo Dance III (2007)
12. Agbadza (2007)

Carnaval, op.9, Robert Schumann

Second Anniversary of 'Twenty-Four Studies in African Rhythms, Vol. One' of Fred Onovwerosuoke

[Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke; TWENTY-FOUR STUDIES IN AFRICAN RHYTHMS, VOLUME ONE]

Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke is a Ghanaian-born American composer, as well as Founder and President of African Musical Arts, Inc. He sends us this news: “Please alert your readers to our just updated catalogue at African Music Publishers. The online link is http://africarts.org/AMP/index.html and here inquirers can download a PDF copy of the catalogue as well. My book TWENTY-FOUR STUDIES IN AFRICAN RHYTHMS, VOLUME ONE celebrates its two years of publication this month (May 27) and remains our number 1 best seller.” “Response to these Etudes has been most humbling, and I have pianist William Chapman Nyaho's concert circuit and CD, ASA, to thank for much of this attention. Italian pianist Silvia Belfiore continues to swell this interest in Europe with her now very popular MUSICA DALL' AFRICA.”

African Musical Arts is: “A non-profit parent organization for African Chorus, African Music Publishers and the New Horizons Orchestra.” “The African Musical Arts, Inc (formerly, St. Louis African Chorus) was founded 1994 to foster a better understanding of Africa’s culture through the musical arts. The organization focuses on programming choral music by composers of African origin or descent.” “That the African Musical Arts is a unique organization is evident in its capacity as pro tem lead organization of the International Consortium for the Music of Africa and its Diaspora (ICMAD).”

'On An Overgrown Path' Posts Link to Fred Onovwerosuoke's Account of Herbert von Karajan

[Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke, Founder and President of African Musical Arts, Inc.]

Bob Shingleton, aka Pliable, writes one of the world's leading classical music blogs in English, On An Overgrown Path. On Sept. 30, 2008 he posted the text of an interview on Herbert von Karajan from a 1963 issue of Stereo Review. The same day, AfriClassical posted a link to the interview, under the heading “Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) on Rhythm and Race, in 1963 'Stereo Review' Interview”. Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke, Founder/Director of the St. Louis African Chorus, just renamed African Music Arts, told us of his admiration for the conductor, who passed away on July 16, 1989, and whose life he commemorated in a poem. He also described a chance meeting backstage in London, during which Fred's astute questioning of similar recordings led the Maestro to tell the young student he should be a conductor. Consequently, we posted “A Young Nigerian's Homage To Herbert von Karajan in 1990”. On An Overgrown Path subsequently published a tribute to the great conductor, so we forwarded the link to Fred's account, as well as the link to a post on the Festival of African and African-American Music (FESAAM 2009), which Dr. Onovwerosuoke is directing in St. Louis, Feb. 12-15, 2009. Both links have now appeared on the major classical music blog On An Overgrown Path, with this introduction from Pliable: “Bill Zick over on AfriClassical gives us these interesting Karajan links” -

http://africlassical.blogspot.com/2008/10/young-nigerians-homage-to-herbert-von.html 

http://africlassical.blogspot.com/2008/11/updates-on-fesaam-2009-african-chorus.html

AfriClassical very much appreciates the attention Pliable's posting of the links has brought to Fred's personal account of encountering and memorializing Herbert von Karajan, and to the major music festival he will direct next month.

Updates on FESAAM 2009, An African Chorus and ICMAD Artists Collaboration Feb. 12-15, 2009

Today we received an update from Dr. Fred Onovwerosuoke on the 2009 Festival of African and African American Music (FESAAM 2009): Following are a few FESAAM 2009 updates. As usual you may look up other useful information of the FESAAM 2009 official website at http://fesaam.org Please share and forward widely. See you in Louie!

Orchestra Repertoire:

1. “Anxiety” for Symphony Orchestra by Lettie Beckon Alston

2. “Exodus” for String Orchestra by Jean Rudy Perrault

3. “Song of Harriet Tubman” for Soprano & Orchestra by Nkeiru Okoye

4. “Suite No. 3 for Orchestra” by Fred Onovwerosuoke

5. “Voices Shouting Out” for Symphony Orchestra by Nkeiru Okoye

6. “Tribute to Great African Composers” for Orchestra, Soprano, SATB Choir and Dancers.
   
   Fred Onovwerosuoke orchestration of J.H. Kwabena Nketia, Ephraim Amu, Ikoli Harcourt-Whyte, Dafuri Lamentations, South Africa Protest Chants, Fon Prayer Chants, and Mandinka Griot Praise Chants!
   

200-Voice FESAAM 2009 Mass Choir: The FESAAM 2009 Mass Choir is comprised of the Kirkwood Community College Concert Choir (Cedar Rapids, IA), Jazz Transit (Cedar Rapids, IA), St. Louis Children’s Choir (St. Louis, MO), University City High Concert Choir (St Louis, MO), Winneba Youth Choir of Ghana

Special Guest Roster:

Oboist Althea Ifeka (UK)

Pianist Silvia Belfiore (Italy) 

Pianist William Chapman-Nyaho (Renton, WA)

Pianist Susanne Garcia (Lafayette, LA)

Pianist Darryl Hollister (Boston, MA)

Pianist Laura Garritson (Elsah, IL)

Nyaho-Garcia Piano Duo (Seattle, WA) 

Violinist Rachel Barton Pine, (Chicago, IL)

Flutist Wendy Hymes (New Orleans, LA)

Flutist/Pianist Marie Jureit, (Stewart, FL)

Harpist Rashida Black (Chicago, IL)

Soprano Marie Hadley Robinson (Newark, DE)

Soprano Dawn Padmore (New York, NY)

Equinox Chamber Players (St. Louis, MO)  

Musicians of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra

Conductor Marlon Daniel (New York)

National Troupe of Nigeria, 

Winneba Youth Choir (Ghana)

Jazz Transit A Cappella (Cedar Rapids, IA)