Ubuntu Ensemble

✨ New Edition Alert! ✨

Swipe through moments from our recent performance at Wigmore Hall as part of the The African Concert Series — a celebration of heritage and powerful storytelling. 🖤🌍🎶

This special edition of the Ubuntu Ensemble newsletter dives into highlights from the night, featuring works by Mokale Koapeng, Nneka Cummins, Fela Sowande, fiery Algerian dances, traditional Igbo songs, and more!

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Thank you to everyone who supported the 7th African Concert Series at Wigmore Hall and to those who attended our concerts!

See you in 2026 for another special series of concerts on 21 March!

We had a wonderful time playing at Wigmore Hall to a wonderful audience. Thank you to our wonderful players, Louise Lansdown André Swanepoel Claudia Dehnke Elliott Bailey Aristide Pierre du Plessis Leon Bosch.

We’re very grateful to have been invited to come back to Wigmore Hall, this time bringing music by Fela Sowande, Nneka Cummins, Fodé Lassana Diabeté, Mokale Koapeng and more.

Thank you to Rebeca Omordia for all her hard work and initiative in changing the programming landscape, and making space for this gorgeous music. We were honoured to be a part of this.

Join us in wishing Leon Bosch a very happy birthday today! We were delighted to get to spend his special day together, rehearsing music by Mokale Koapeng and Titus Ogunyemi ahead of our concert at Wigmore Hall as part of the The African Concert Series. Join us at on the 19th of July at 19.30 to also hear music by Nneka Cummins, as well as chamber music from Mali and Algeria with balafon and oja flute. Hope to see you there!

New month, new newsletter! Catch up with Leon Bosch Louise Lansdown and Rebeca Omordia who have recently returned from trips to the homeland. We also have an exciting new release from Louise Lansdown entitled ‘Mzanzi Viola’, including arrangements and new commissions from brilliant composer Monthati Zenzile Masebe , amongst others. A huge milestone for South African viola works. Congratulations to all involved! Read more about it in our newsletter!

This month our newsletter readers can look forward to an interview with some wonderful personal stories from one of our leaders, the legendary Pieter Schoeman, a special album release from Leon Bosch, and music selections from Rebeca Omordia ahead of her South African tour. Sign up now to get the newsletter in May!

Our violinist André Swanepoel, has been very busy running the Irish Chamber Orchestra Academy, which commenced on 25 March: 18 third-level string students from 10 countries are joining 8 UL MA Classical String Performance students & graduates (from 6 countries) to work with ICO Principal players (from 3 countries), focusing on holistically refining ensemble playing, & approaching larger repertoire in the same manner as a string quartet.

This project, organised and directed by André Swanepoel, the acting Course Director of the MA in Classical String Performance at the University of Limerick (jointly operated by the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance and the Irish Chamber Orchestra) features works by Schubert and Gade - and selected movements of the African Suite by Fela Sowande.

The course culminates in a lunchtime concert at St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick on 27 March at 1.15pm. Entry is free and no seat reservations are required.

Don’t miss it!

Last tickets selling fast for Sunday night’s Kings Place performance featuring Leon Bosch, Sebastian Comberti and the Hanover Band. Hope to see you there!

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/classical/the-hanover-band-with-sebastian-comberti-and-geoff-coates/

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Sign up this month to hear about what Louise Lansdown has been up to behind the scenes. Leon Bosch also shares his favourite recordings from his career in this month’s playlist. Follow the link below to sign up!

https://mailchi.mp/b1d6031c6d77/sign-up-to-join-our-mailing-list