Episode 100 — April 1, 2021
Bongani Ndodana-Breen: “Khanyisa” for violin and piano
Performed by Clara Kim and Angela KimViolinist Clara Kim and pianist Angela Kim give the world premiere of Bongani Ndodana-Breen’s Khanyisa, which was commissioned by the performers as part of St. Botolph Club Foundation’s Emerging Artist Award. The piece reflects on the tragedy of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, drawing influence from traditional Xhosa praise poets (imbongi), whose words inspire strong emotions and comment on current affairs. Here, the violin sometimes acts as an imbongi, expressing the wide range of emotions caused by the global pandemic; the piano and violin often find themselves in different harmonic spaces at the same time, highlighting the dissonance of living in a fractured society. It’s contemplative, unresolved sound, meant to illustrate the complexity and devastation of our current moment.
Notes by Vanessa Ague
House Music: Bite-sized concerts recorded at homes around the world
In 2020-21, we created a weekly video series featuring short-form concerts of newly-commissioned works, supporting 208 artists around the world during the pandemic.