Nzewi, Meki

Professor Meki Nzewi lectures in African Music at the University of Pretoria. As a cultural scientist, he has undertaken an interactive study of the creative theory and performance practice underlying African traditional musical arts for over 36 years. He has written copiously on all musico-philosophical aspects of African music, and has published four books and 34 articles and philosophical essays on African music, dance and drama.

He has written, composed and produced 5 music-theatre works, 7 musicals, 3 operas and 3 poetic-dance theatre works. His other compositions include works for orchestra, choir, solo voice, drums and other ensembles. In 2001, the English Chamber Orchestra gave the world premiere of his newest orchestral work during a tour of South Africa. Prof. Nzewi has also published literary works, including three plays, a novel and poems, and has written and produced works for TV and radio.

As master drummer, he has performed and given workshops throughout Europe and Africa. He is the founder and co-director of the Ama Dialog Foundation for African traditional arts in Nigeria. His creative philosophy and practice aim at continuing the traditional multi-disciplinary approach to creativity, performance and presentation.

Publications (Selected)

Books:

African Music: Theoretical Content & Creative Continuum. Oldershausen,
Institut fur Didaktik popularer musik. 1997

Musical Practice & Creativity. Univ. of Bayreuth, Iwalewa Haus. 1991

Articles:

Beyond Song Texts - The Lingual Fundamentals of African Drum Music.
Research in African Literature, pp 90-104

The Music of Staged Emotions. Musikunterricht Heute, pp 192-203.

Strategies for Music Education in Africa. ISME Proceedings, pp 456-486.

Nigerian Music in the Politics of Values: Between Creative Ennui and
Cultural Squint. World Music, pp 123-144

Ese Music: Honours for the Dead; Status for the Sponsor. African Music,
pp 90-107.

Traditional Strategies for Mass Communication: The Centrality of Igbo
Music. Selected Reports in Ethnomusicology, pp 319- 338.

The Cerebral Arts in Nigeria. Presence Africaine, pp 83-103.

New Directions for Dysfunctionalized Art Forms:Prospecting the Ekpo
Routine. Nigerian Magazine, pp 38-52.