TundeJegede.com - Latest News

Opera

On 25th July there will be a showcase performance of the new Opera commissioned by Nitro and the Royal Opera House at the Linbury Theatre at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Education

From 16th - 20th July Tunde will be teaching music and production in a new summer course held at Uppingham School working with talented young musicians and producers from around the country.

Concert

On 15th July Tunde will be performing in concert with the Percussionist and Multi-instrumentalist, Orphy Robinson at the Mill Theatre in Barnet.

Concert

On 11th July Tunde will be performing in the premiere of his new work, 'Exile & Return' for Kora and String Quartet which was written especially for the Brodsky Quartet and commissioned by the Cheltenham Music Festival. The concert will also include string quartets by Ravel and Shostakovich and the concert will take place at 11am in the Pittville Pump Room. For more info please visit: www.cheltenhamfestivals.com

Tour

In July Tunde will continue on his tour across UK performing in a new music theatre production entitled 'Baby Balloon' which is produced by the award-winning theatre company, Oily Cart, for under 5's and their parents and carers. It was designed by the director, Tim Webb, to stimulate all the five senses with dancers, music and multi-media visuals. For more info please visit: www.oilycart.org.uk

7th & 8th July: Manchester

Commission

In June Tunde will also be composing the Final Act for a new a Opera commissioned by Nitro and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He will be working with several other composers and librettists and the first showing of the work will be at the Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House on 25th July 2007.

Tour

Throughout June Tunde will be on tour across UK performing in a new music theatre production entitled 'Baby Balloon' which is produced by the award-winning theatre company, Oily Cart, for under 5's and their parents and carers. It was designed by the director, Tim Webb, to stimulate all the five senses with dancers, music and multi-media visuals. For more info please visit: www.oilycart.org.uk

20/21/22/23 June: Watford Palace, Watford

18th & 19 June: Castle Hall, Hertford

8th & 9th June: Bracknell

Conference

On 6th June Tunde will be giving a lecture at St. Clare's College, Oxford University as part of their one day conference on Africa and its Diaspora. Tunde's talk will be looking at the musical retentions of African music in the musical legacy of the African Diaspora.

Concert

On 2nd June Tunde will be giving a solo kora performance in Clonmel Co. Tipperary in Ireland. He will also be performing with the celebrated composer and pianist, Micheal O Suilleabhain and a string quartet. It is the first time he has caught up with Micheal since they collaborated on the TV Series and subsequent album, 'River of Sound' in 1995.

Recording

On 28th May Tunde will be recording a Piano/Kora Duo album with the Classical pianist and composer, Alexis Ffrench. They in fact went to school together at Purcell School of Music and both then went on to study at Guildhall School of music. They are recording the album at a recital hall in Uppingham where Alexis is now based and where they have an amazing studio with excellent facilities. This album is scheduled to be released in 2008.

Recording

On 18th May Tunde will be recording his parts on several tracks for the Spoken Word Artist, HKB FiNN for his forthcoming album, 'Light in the Shade of Dark'. Thoughout May Tunde is also producing several new tracks for the album continuing his contribution to the HKB FiNN recorded musical legacy. For more information on this and other productions by Tunde Jegede please visit the ACM Productions page in the Portfolio section of this website.

Concert

On 7th April Tunde will be performing with the Spoken Word Artist, HKB FiNN for his ORGANIX night at the Ritzy Cinema Cafe in Brixton. It is also a launch celebration for FiNN's new album 'Spoken Herbs' which is now also available from i-tunes. For more information on 'Spoken Herbs' and other productions by Tunde Jegede please visit the ACM Productions page in the Portfolio section of this website.

Film

On 5th April Tunde will be performing three songs for voice and kora taken from the soundtrack of the internationally award-winning film '500 Years Later' by Halaqah Productions at its screening at The Richmix, Arts Centre in Shoreditch at 8pm. Tunde will be performing with the singer, Fola Phillip, before the screening and then doing a Q&A after the screening to talk about his work on the soundtrack for the film. To see the official trailer for this film please visit the Video page in the Media section of this website.

Film

On 1st April a new documentary film by Halaqah Productions entitled, 'Our Story, Our Voice' will be premiered at the ICA Theatre in London. It features three of his tracks 'Songs of the Eternal', 'Fountain of a People's Hope' and 'Into the Beyond' and two of his productions for HKB FiNN from his new album Spoken Herbs, 'Porte de la Chapelle' and 'Jewel'. For more information on these tracks and the albums please visit the Solo Albums and ACM Productions pages in the Portfolio section of this website.

Film

The DVD of 'Life & Lyrics' will be on general release this month and it features one of Tunde's production's for the Rapper/Spoken Word Artist, HKB FiNN. The track 'Epiphany', taken from the album 'Vitalistics, is used in the film and featured on the soundtrack. For more information on Tunde's productions please visit the ACM Productions page in the Portfolio section of this website.

Recording

On 27th March Tunde will be recording Kora on the soundtrack for the film, 'The Allotment' which is out later this year. He will be working with the composer, Martin Phipps, and recording Kora pieces as well as overlayering on orchestral tracks.

Recording

On 26th March Tunde will be producing for a recording of the Kora Maestro, Sanjally Jobarteh and the only Female Kora player from within the hereditary Griot Tradition, Maya Jobarteh for Hetra Music. The session will also be part of a documentary film on Maya and her unique position as a female Kora player within the Jobarteh/Diabate griot family dynasty. The film is to be directed by the intertionally award-winning director, Owen 'Alik' Shahadah.

Concert

On 25th March Tunde will be performing with Singer and Flutist Diana Baroni and the Brodsky Quartet for a preview performance at the British Museum at 3pm as part of their programme to mark the Bicentinary of the abolition of slavery. They will be giving several performances of this concert later in the year both in UK and France.

Television

On 16th March a BBC documentary on William Wilberforce presented by Moira Stewart and featuring music of Tunde will be aired on BBC2 in UK. It features 'Lamentation', 'Fountain of a People's Hope', and two tracks from his forthcoming album, 'Mirror of the Deepest' and 'No Difference'. For more information on Tunde's albums please visit the Solo Albums page in the Portfolio section of this website.

Tour

Tunde will be on tour across UK performing in a multi-media music theatre production entitled 'I Dream of Accra ....'. This new work has a script written by award-winning novelist, Patrick Neate, String arrangments by Tunde Jegede, and features Rapper MC B.R.E.I.S, Byron Wallen on Trumpet, Juldah Camara on Riti (African Violin) with visuals by Your Mum. Tunde will also be performing on Kora and Cello in the production. The whole piece was conceived by the celebrated DJ's Rita Ray and Max Reinhardt and will be on tour from the 10th - 23rd March.

Friday 23rd March: V & A Museum, South Kensington, London (020 7942 2211)

Saturday 17th March: Contact Theatre, Manchester (0161 274 0600)

Thursday 15th March: The Drum, Birmingham (Tel: 0121 333 2444)

Saturday 10th March: The Peepul Centre, Leicester (Tel: 0845 310 3344)

Recording

On 9th March Tunde will be recording another Kora session for the Film Composer, Mark Suozzo in Studio 1 Abbey Road. The film is entitled Nanny Diaries, features Scarlett Johansson, and is to be released in the autumn.

Concert

On the 8th March Tunde will be performing with the Samadhi Ensemble at The Haringey City Growth Business Awards Ceremony to be held at The Decorium in London. This is a preview performance of the Samadhi String Quartet, which was formed by Tunde to record and perform his new works for the Hetra Music Label. They will begin giving public concerts in the autumn.

Recording

On 6th March Tunde will be recording Kora in a session for the Film Composer, Mark Suozzo at Studio 2, Abbey Road. Tunde will be working with several other musicians on the soundtrack including the flutist, Jan Hendrickse.

Concert

On the 4th March Tunde will be performing a one-off concert in collaboration with members of his new African Classical Music Ensemble and some Indian Classical Musicians from The Bhavan Centre in Kensington, London. The concert features, Juladah Camara (Riti) Jan Hendrickse (Flute), Sanjay Guha (Sitar) Balachandear (Mridangam) and Rajkumar Misra(Tablas). The concert will take place at:

The Bhavan Centre, 4a Castletown Road, London W14 9HE at 2pm on Sunday 4th March 2007. Tickets are £5. For more information please visit: www.bhavan.net

Commission

In February Tunde will be composing a work commissioned by the Cheltenham Music Festival for the Brodsky Quartet, to be premiered at the Cheltenham Music Festival on 11th July 2007. The piece will be scored for Solo Kora and String Quartet to be performed by Tunde with the Brodsky Quartet.

Recording

On 16th February Tunde will be recording with the celebrated composer and Sarangi player, Surinder Sandhu at his studios in Birmingham for his next forthcoming album. The album features artists from various musical traditions and features some of the finest Indian Classical and Jazz performers, as well as the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The album is due for release later this year. For more information please visit: www.surindersandhu.com

Album

HKB Finn's EP 'Lo-Fi Jazz', which was produced by Tunde, will be released on the i-tunes digital platform worldwide. For more info please visit the itunes store and type in HKB Finn in the seach browser.

Concert

Tunde will be performing with his flutist, Jan Hendrickse and his World Wind Band at the Teatro Manoel in Malta on 23rd January 2007 as part of a British Council tour. He will be playing both Kora (Harp-lute) and Cello as part of a quartet featuring Jan Hendrickse (Multiple Wind Instruments), Dirk Campbell (Muliple Wind Instruments) and Nathan Thomson (Double Bass).

For more information please visit: www.teatrumanoel.com.mt

Recording

On 19th December Tunde will be recording some duo performances with the celebrated film composer, Alex Heffes at Studio 2, Abbey Road. Tunde and Alex were originally at school together at the Purcell School of Music and hadn't seen each other since then but had followed each other's respective careers. Alex then approached Tunde to participate on the first track for a new album of duos that he is going to be working on with various artists over the next year.

Production

In December Tunde will be finalizing and mastering his long-awaited album, 'Nomad' which is his first new album in over ten years. It is a song-based album and features some of the world's finest vocalists including the legendary Malian vocalist Kasse Mady, Pop Diva Misty Oldland, the Opera Tenor Tony Henry, the Jazz Vocalist Cleveland Watkiss, the Soul Vocalist Maya Jobarteh and the Spoken Word Artist, HKB Finn. 'Nomad' is due for release in Autumn 2007 but will be available on i-tunes from May 2007.

Literature

Tunde will begin editing a book by Galina Chester on the extrordinary life and times of Joseph Antonio Emidy (1770 - 1835), a Composer and Virtuoso Violinist who was born in West Africa taken to Brazil in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade as a boy, became a principal violinist in one of the Lisbon Opera Houses and finally ended up in Cornwall where he spent the rest of his life composing, performing and setting up Orchestras and Philharmonic Societies. The book will be out in Autumn 2007. For more information on Joseph Emidy please visit his website: www.josephemidy.com.

Album

Tunde's solo kora album 'Still Moment' will be available online digitally on itunes worldwide on 23rd October 2006. For more info please visit the itunes store and type in Tunde Jegede in the seach browser or press the direct link on the bottom of the home page on this site.

Album

Tunde's seminal album 'Lamentation' will be available online digitally for the first time on itunes worldwide on 11th September 2006. For more info please visit the itunes store and type in Tunde Jegede in the seach browser or press the direct link on the bottom of the home page on this site.

Concert

Tunde will be participating in the 1st Alfriston Summer Music Festival held in Alfriston a little picturesque village in the south of England just outside of Brighton. The festival is a series of Classical Concerts featuring players from the Royal Philaharmonic Orchestra, The Tunde Jegede Ensemble and prominent chamber music players from the London scene giving daytime recitals and larger evening concerts from 16th - 19th August.

Album

On 14th August HKB Finn's new album 'Spoken Herbs' will be released on the i-tunes digital platform worldwide. For more info please visit the itunes store and type in HKB Finn in the seach browser or press the direct link on the ACM Productions page inside the Portfolio section of this site.

Opera

Tunde will be putting the finishing touches to his contribution to the 'Sahel Opera' Project which is to be premiered in Bamako and Amsterdam in December 2006. It is to include singers and musicans from the various classical and folk traditions from right across the Sahel Region of West Africa and to be performed using solely African Instruments and Traditions.

Concert

Tunde will be giving Kora Performances accompanied by Maya Jobarteh on Guitar at the National Martime Museum in Falmouth, Cornwall on 28th June, and at the Morrab Library in Penzance, Cornwall on 29th June. These concerts are part of a programme of events to mark the formation of the Joseph Antonio Emidy Trust, based in Cornwall. For more information please visit: www.josephemidy.com.

Opera

On June 13th 2006 Tunde will be participating in production workshops for the Nitro at the Opera project in conjunction with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He will be amongst six other composers contributing music for the project to be based loosely on 'The Rake's Progress' but set in more contemporary times.

Film

Tunde will be collaborating with the DJ and composer, Max Reinhardt and multi-instrumentalist Ben Mandleson to produce music for the classic silent film from 1919, 'Nanook', which follows the narrative and life and times of an Inuit family at the time. The performance/showing will take place at the Berkhamstead Cinema on 11th June 2006.

Production

Tunde will be mixing HKB FiNN's album, 'Spoken Herbs' which features guest appearances by the vocalists, Cleveland Watkiss and Maya Jobarteh. 'Spoken Herbs' is to be released in Autumn 2006.

Film

Tunde will produce on a new short by the internationally award-winning director, Owen 'Alik' Shahadah entitled 'The Idea'. It is to feature HKB Finn, Fola Phillip, Enrique Joyette and Maya Jobarteh amongst others. It is scheduled to be released in Autumn 2007.

For more information please visit the dedicated site: www.whatistheidea.com

Production

In April Tunde will be re-mastering his seminal classical recoring, 'Lamentation', and mastering his album 'Still Moment' for release in Spring 2007.

Production

During March Tunde will be mixing the African Classical Music album, 'There was a Time' recorded in Mali featuring Kasse Mady Diabate and Kora Maestro, Wali Cham.

Production

Tunde will begin production work on HKB Finn's new album in which he will be part of a team of producers, including luminaries such as Derek Johnson, Don Jose and Maya Jobarteh. Once again it will be an ecelectic mix of electronic and acoustic music traditions, styles and genres.

Recording

Tunde will be recording an album with the African Classical Music Ensemble and the legendary Malian singer, Kasse Mady Diabate at Salif Keita's 'Moffou' Studios. The whole journey will be documented by the American film-maker, Ron Wyman, who will be filming in Bamako and up in Segou and Djenne.

Opera

Tunde will attend the Prins Claus Foundation's annual awards in Amsterdam in the presence of the Royal Family of Holland, followed by workshops in preparation for his contribution to the 'Sahel Opera' project. He will be collaborating with fellow composers, Ze Manel, Nawal, Goo Ba under the musical direction of the Sengalese composer and musician, Wasis Diop.

Opera

Tunde's first opera, 'Cry of Innocence' will be premiered and performed at Greenwich Theatre from 21st - 26th November. Commissioned by Gye Nyame and produced in conjunction with Trinity College of Music, it is to feature as soloists, Ruby Turner, Cleveland Watkiss, HKB FiNN and Byron Wallen, with members of Trinity College of Music, under the baton of Terry Edwards.

Concert

On 14th October Tunde will be performing his duo show with the vocalist, Cleveland Watkiss in Manchester at the Town Hall. To see a video clip of this show please visit Media: Video.

Concert

On 22nd October Tunde is having his newly commissioned work, 'The Calling' premiered by the BBC Philharmonic at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester at 7.30pm, which also features Malian vocalist, Kasse Mady Diabate, Jazz vocalist, Cleveland Watkiss, Opera Soprano, Gwyneth Ann-Jeffers and Spoken Word Artist, Suandi, who also wrote the libretto. The piece is commissioned by the BBC Philharmonic and is to be recorded for Radio 3.

Concert

On Thursday 29th September Tunde will be at the Drum in Birmingham at 7:30pm, performing music from HKB FiNN's album, Acoustic Afro Hip Hop with the rapper and the Nomadic Mystics. To find out about Acoustic Afro Hip Hop please visit click Portfolio: ACM Productions.

Conference

Between 4th - 7th August Tunde will be attending the ICMADA conference in Cambridge organised by the composer, writer and scholar, Akin Euba. Tunde performed with his sister Maya Jobarteh, at the last one, which was two years ago.

Film

Screening of 500 Years Later (for which Tunde contributed to the soundtrack) at the Hackney Empire at 12.30pm on Saturday 2nd July followed by a Panel Discussion including the Film-maker, Owen Shahadah. To see the official trailer for the film please visit Media: Video.

Concert

On the 10th July Tunde will be performing solo and in duo with Cleveland Watkiss at the Bullion Room, Hackney Empire, for a show programmed by the composer and percussionist, Orphy Robinson, including Steve Williamson, Steve Beresford, Cleveland Watkiss and Celloman. The show begins at 5:30pm and runs right up until 10:30pm. For more information please visit The Hackney Empire.

Concert & Workshops

Tunde will be in Cardiff performing and giving workshops with vocalist, Cleveland Watkiss, the rapper, HKB FiNN and the producer/guitarist, Derek Johnson. The workshops are on 21st and 22nd July, with the performance on 23rd July, and the whole project is part of the Black Welsh Film Festival.

Concert

On 3rd June the Tunde Jegede Ensemble performs his Lamentation concert at Zion Arts in Manchester as part of the Arts Council, Decibel/Xtrax showcase concerts for Promoters and Venue Managers to see and programme for next year. For more information please visit The Xtrax website.

Concert

Also on 3rd June a performance of his duo show with the legendary vocalist, Cleveland Watkiss at Birmingham Symphony Hall as part of a double-bill with the South African composer and pianist, Abdullah Ibrahim. To see a video of this show please visit Media: Video.

Tour

Tunde joins notorious rapper HKB FiNN on his national Acoustic Afro Hip Hop tour from 15 th - 30 th May. Tunde leads the in-house band Nomadic Mystics which features Maya Jobarteh, Derek Johnson and Cleveland Watkiss. For full details visit www.HKBFiNN.com.

Concert

Tunde will be in Trinidad from 4th - 12th May giving a concert and several workshops as well as guesting with the legendary Trinidadian singer, Ella Andall. For more information on Ella please visit www.ellaandall.com.

Concert

On 27th April the Tunde Jegede Ensemble will be at Dartington in Devon performing music from his long awaited Solo Kora album entitled 'Still Moment' featuring flautist Jan Hendrickse and Kora player, Maya Jobarteh on selected tracks. The album, 'Still Moment' will be on general release from Spring 2006. For more information on this album and other solo album releases by Tunde please visit Portfolio: Solo Albums.

Memorial Concert

On 20th April the Tunde Jegede Ensemble will perform a concert in Falmouth, Cornwall to mark the unveiling by his Right Hon. Paul Boateng, MP of a memorial plaque in Falmouth Church for the C19 composer, Joseph Antonio Emidy. Joseph Antonio Emidy was born in 1770 and worked in Cornwall as a composer for over 30 years making him Britain's first composer of the African Diaspora.

Composer Symposium

From March 3rd to the 14th Tunde will be attending a composer symposium in Senegal, West Africa funded by the Prince Claus Foundation. He was nominated alongside four other composers to workshop four new original operatic works with singers and players from West Africa, towards formulating the worlds first Sahel Opera which is due to be produced and toured in Africa and Europe in 2006. For more information on the Sahel Opera and other operas by Tunde please visit Portfolio: Opera/Music Theatre.

Commission

Tunde is working on his first full-length opera, 'Cry of Innocence' commissioned by Gye Nyami to be performed by selected soloists, a gospel choir and the chorus and symphony orchestra of Trinity Music College in November 2005

Opera House

Tunde is having his Aria: What is my Fate? Performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden by singers from the Villiars Programme. Featuring eight other composers of African Descent, the programme is part of the Nitro at the Opera season and is to be filmed by BBC4. For more information on this aria and other operas by Tunde please visit Portfolio: Opera/Music Theatre.