Abel Selaocoe's Four Spirits is designed to evolve through improvisation, allowing other performers who use voice with cello to interpret and shape it.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Selaocoe's work is deeply influenced by the practice of ancestral recall from his upbringing in Sebokeng, South Africa, which involves asking ancestors for advice.
Compositional Technique
Four Spirits is a concerto for cello, voice, percussion, and orchestra, featuring Bernhard Schimpelsberger on percussion alongside Abel Selaocoe.
Recording & Production
This album is the world-premiere recording of Abel Selaocoe's Cello Concerto, Four Spirits.
Composition History
Abel Selaocoe's Cello Concerto, Four Spirits, was commissioned by BBC Radio 3, Seattle Symphony, and philharmonie zuidnederland.
Notable Performances
Four Spirits was first performed by Abel Selaocoe and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Taavi Oramo, on March 23, 2023, in Glasgow.
Performer Biography
Abel Selaocoe, the cellist, singer, composer, and improviser on this album, was born in South Africa and shaped by his education and community in Manchester.
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