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Bongani Ndodana-Breen

Biography

Bongani Ndodana-Breen (born 1975, in Queenstown, Cape Province, Republic of South Africa), is a South African-born composer, musician, academic and cultural activist. He is a member of the Xhosa clan. He was educated at St. Andrew’s College and Rhodes University in Grahamstown (where he graduated with a PhD in Music Composition[1]) and also studied composition in Stellenbosch under Roelof Temmingh.[2] In 1998 Ndodana-Breen was the first Black classical composer to be awarded the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Music, by the National Arts Festival and sponsored by Standard Bank of South Africa.[3] He was one of Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans and was profiled on CNN African Voices for his work Harmonia Ubuntu commissioned for the centenary of Nelson Mandela and based on his writings and speeches.[4] He is a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University for the 2019/2020 academic year. Dr. Ndodana-Breen’s music is a blend of African and classical styles. Some of his music reflects on various scenes from his native Xhosa culture (such as Hintsa’s Dances, which is based on the life of Paramount Chief Hintsa ka Khawuta, Apologia at Umzimvubu and Sons of The Great Tree). He has received commissions from across the globe from the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra[7] the Miller Theatre of New York,[8] Vancouver Recital Society, Minnesota Orchestra,[9] Madame Walker Theatre, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Noir/MusicaNoir, Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO), National Arts Council of South Africa, Haydn Festival Eisenstadt,[10] Johannesburg International Mozart Festival, The Emancipation Festival of Trinidad & Tobago and Wigmore Hall, London (a quintet for pianist Maria João Pires[11]). He has written operas, orchestral and chamber works, including the opera Winnie The Opera based on anti-apartheid activist Winnie Mandela.[13] South Africa’s liberation struggle seems to be a major theme in his orchestral works such as his piano concerto Emhlabeni,[14] the short opera Hani on the anti-apartheid activist Chris Hani and more recently the oratorio Credo, a musical testament to the Freedom Charter. Dr. Ndodana-Breen is also an advocate for cultural diversity, supporting various African efforts including LGBT causes.

News / Ranking / Titbits / Awards

He was awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Music in 1998 and selected as one of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans of 2011. He was Director of the Canadian new music organization Ensemble Noir from 1999 – 2007 touring to Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa.

Talent

Bongani Ndodana-Breen

Biography

News / Ranking / Titbits / Awards

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