This is how international understanding works! Abel Selaocoe firmly believes in the unifying power of music. For the South African native, there are no boundaries – perhaps only in people's minds, but certainly not in music. "Where I come from, we don't immediately pigeonhole everything," he says of his early and most important artistic influence. "When I got a cello, no one said, 'Play classical music.' But they did ask: What sound can you produce with it?'" So, with great curiosity, he embarked on a journey into musical in-between worlds. In his concerts full of universal musicality, the voice, alongside the cello, becomes an important instrument, and the entire body becomes a means of communication. In his joint concert with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, he brings works with very different musical roots together, bringing the world a little closer together.

EPSG:4326

Abel Selaocoe: “African roots”

Eberbach Abbey

Abel Selaocoe finds his home in the cello – and at the same time a means of expressing the many different kinds of "home." For the South African musician, people, melodies, vocal techniques, spiritual rituals, and the all-encompassing love are also important places of refuge, as he explores them musically in his album "Hae ke Kae" (Sesotho for "Where is home?"). What is special about Selaocoe is that he combines cello playing with (throat) singing, percussion, and improvisation, building bridges between Western and South African musical traditions. The Italian composer Giovanni Sollima also knows how to blend different styles. In addition to his six-movement cycle "When We Were Trees," Caroline Shaw's contemporary response to Haydn's last string quartet and David Fennessy's weightless sonic impression of the deserted island of Hirta complement the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra's musical search for home.

Abel Selaocoe

Forum at the Castle Park

Experience the profound and emotionally charged masterpiece of Mozart's Requiem, performed by the Irish Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Choir Ireland under the baton of the esteemed conductor Thomas Zehetmair. This concert features a stellar lineup of soloists, including soprano Ailish Tynan, mezzo-soprano Carolyn Holt, tenor Robin Tritschler, and bass Padraic Rowan. The program opens with David Fennessy's evocative piece "Blood," setting the stage for the evening's main highlight.

Mozart's Requiem, K.626, remains one of the most enigmatic and powerful works in the classical repertoire. Composed during the final days of Mozart's life, this unfinished requiem is imbued with a sense of urgency and poignancy, reflecting the composer's own confrontation with mortality. The music navigates through a spectrum of emotions, from the dramatic and foreboding to moments of hope and redemption. Each movement of the Requiem is a testament to Mozart's genius, capturing the essence of human experience and the mystery of death.

The performance promises to be a deeply moving experience, as the orchestra and choir bring to life the intricate harmonies and profound expressions of this timeless work. The combination of the Irish Chamber Orchestra's precision and the Chamber Choir Ireland's vocal prowess ensures a rendition that honors the depth and complexity of Mozart's final composition. This concert is a unique opportunity to witness the convergence of exceptional musical talent and one of the greatest compositions in the history of classical music.

Mozart Requiem

Royal Irish Academy of Music

**Rufus Isabel Elliot: Waves Crash on Old Street**

Join us for an evening of innovative music at the Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke’s, on Saturday, 16 November 2024, at 7pm. This unique concert showcases the world premiere of a new work by Rufus Isabel Elliot, alongside a selection of contemporary pieces by composers such as David Fennessy, Christian Mason, Barbara Monk Feldman, Martin Arnold, Britta Byström, Ryoko Akama, and Stuart MacRae.

**Performers:**
- David Alberman, violin
- Louise McMonagle, cello
- Mark Knoop, piano

**Programme Highlights:**
- David Fennessy: The blue-eyed lassie
- Christian Mason: Efflorescence
- Barbara Monk Feldman: Clear Edge
- Martin Arnold: Lutra
- Britta Byström: Baum in der Stadt
- Ryoko Akama: 10 days’ etude
- Stuart MacRae: Haroldswick
- Rufus Isabel Elliot: New work (World Premiere)

**Tickets:**
- General Admission: £8
- Concessions: £6
- Under-18s: £5
- A booking fee of £1.50 applies per online/phone transaction.

This concert is a collaboration with KNOCKvologan Studies, Isle of Mull, and imagines voices from the distant past and the distant future, belonging to an ancient forest on an island off the west coast of Scotland. The event is presented by LSO Discovery and generously supported by the Jerwood Foundation.

**Additional Information:**
- The Crypt Bar will be open for hot and cold drinks from one hour before the performance and during the interval.
- Card payments only.

For more details and to book your tickets, visit lso.co.uk or call +44 20 7870 2500. Experience the transformative power of music through this exceptional evening presented by LSO Discovery.

Rufus Isabel Elliot: Waves Crash on Old Street

LSO St Luke's

The completed work of David Fennessy’s 'Conquest of the Useless' returns to City Halls for a performance preceded by a discussion with the composer and a screening of Les Blank’s 1982 documentary of the 'Fitzcarraldo' shoot, 'Burden of Dreams'

David Fennessy’s 'Conquest of the Useless'

Glasgow City Hall

Dementia is fast becoming the most common cause of death in the Western world. It is devastating, not only for sufferers but for their loved ones. Forgotten is a deeply moving theatrical concert that takes the audience on a journey through the mind of a dementia patient – through fear, confusion, memory loss, and, ultimately, surrender to the unknown. A unique fusion of music and theatre, this production explores the many faces of dementia – anxiety, hallucinations, forgetfulness, suspicion – each represented through an extraordinary blend of familiar and unfamiliar choral repertoire, electronics, and live performance.

David Fennessy

Events

Upcoming events

May 15, 2026

Nederlands Kamerkoor: Forgotten · Barbican Centre

Past events

Jul 19, 2025

Abel Selaocoe: “African roots” · Rheingau Musik Festival

Jul 16, 2025

Abel Selaocoe · Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele

About

David Fennessy hasn't added a bio