Nigerian poet and pianist Echezonachukwu Nduka, whose writing has appeared in Brittle Paper, will be performing a selection of African classical music at the 2018 Transformation Spring Recital. The selected pieces—including works by Ghana’s Fred Onovwerosuoke, and Nigeria’s Peter Sylvanus, Chijioke Ngobili, and Christian Onyeji—are part of a collection titled Choreowaves, which he discusses in the video above.

Music website Music in Africa reports:

Nduka will also perform pieces from European composers Prokofiev and Schumann, both of whom have been acknowledged as important figures in the annals of classical music. The mix of Western and African pieces, says Nduka, “introduces diversity into the already monotonous classical repertoire. It’s exciting to play works by Joshua Uzoigwe, Akin Euba, Fred Onovwerosuoke or Christian Onyeji right after a Beethoven sonata.”

“Concertgoers here particularly like the fact that I play African classical piano works. They know their Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert and all, but hardly know anything about classical music from Africa.

“They are curious and I’m happy to fill that gap by bringing new works to the stage. I am hopeful that in the next couple of years, through regular performances, recordings, master classes and lecture recitals, African classical piano music will become a major part of the classical repertoire,” he said.

A graduate of classical pianism from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and of music from Kingston University, London, Echezonachukwu Nduka’s poems, “Where the Road Leads” and “The Initiation,” and his review of Pius Adesanmi’s Naija No Dey Carry Last were published by us. Nduka is among a growing generation of writers who are also skilled in other arts—music, photography, filmmaking.

The Transformation Spring Recitals will be held on 29 April at the Transformation Church, 114 Route 50, Mays Landing, New Jersey.