Fred Onovwerosuoke - A Portrait

Onovwerosuoke's rhythmic language would be worthy of analysis by students of the long process by which a common African-American language, musical and verbal, evolved out of the multiplicity of cultures of the enslaved. The overall effect is kinetic, colorful, and imposing — any symphonic programmer looking for music that will meet urban constituencies halfway should hear this disc. - (James Manheim AllMusic.com critic)

Fred Onovwerosuoke's brief "Fanfare for Strings and Timpani," in its world premiere, was a rousing evocation of a Nigerian war dance, complete with the clanging of machetes -- fortunately only simulated. (John von Rhein - Chicago Tribune music critic)

These kinetic pieces [Onovwerosuoke's Twenty-four Studies in African Rhythms] easily get under one’s skin and they sound like they are fun to play. - American Record Guide (May/June 2009 issue)

Composer Fred Onovwerosuoke’s diverse background has given rise to a varied compositional style. Born in Ghana to Nigerian parents, Onovwerosuoke grew up in both countries and eventually naturalized in the United States. "FredO", as friends call him, has traveled in more than thirty African countries doing field work and analyzing some of Africa’s abundant music traditions. "I see hidden across Africa a gold-mine of unlimited musical scales and modes, melodic and harmonic traditions, and, yes, rhythms - abundant yet largely untapped," says Onovwerosuoke of his dominant influences, and also maintains that "my compositions are informed by my travels around the world, and each piece is harnessed and nurtured by an African sensibility that is unmistakable and genuine." FredO has also traveled extensively in the American Deep South, the Caribbean and South America for comparative research in what he likes to call "traceable musical Africanisms." His influences are wide and varied, and is much at home discussing Handel and Mozart as he is talking about the gonje, mbira, kora, kontingu and balafon riffs, or foremost exponents of African traditional music. In 1994 he founded the St. Louis African Chorus to help nurture African choral music as a mainstream repertoire for performance and education. Today, the organization's mission has broadened to include other art music by composers of African-descent and renamed African Musical Arts Inc.

Onovwerosuoke's works have been featured in audio recordings, films, documentaries and radio, including Robert De Niro's film, The Good Shepherd, William-Chapman Nyaho's CD, ASA and Hymes/Hollister's CD African Art Music for Flute and his demo CD, Landscapes of Africa: Music for Orchestra is a much-demanded item for orchestral conductors shopping for classical music by non-European descent composers. His numerous awards include the ASCAPLUS Award, as well as Honorable Mention by the Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute. His new book, Songs of Africa: 22 Pieces for Mixed Choirs published by Oxford University Press has quickly become a favorite among choral directors across the United States and globally. The first volume of Fred Onovwerosuoke's Twenty-four Studies in African Rhythms also rose the charts and is one of the most-demanded African-rhythm influenced piano studies known. His other significant publications are distributed by the African Music Publishers and on Amazon. Fred Onovwerosuoke serves on several boards and is a voting member of The Recording Academy and other professional bodies. He has been Editor of the Voice of African Music newsletter (ISSN: 1938-2332) since 1993 and a founding trustee of the International Consortium for Music of African & its Diaspora (ICMAD) in 2000. Onovwerosuoke maintains an active schedule as conductor, lecturer, cross-cultural educator, and composer-in-residence. Email inquiries may be sent to info @ fredomusic dot com

For a tax-deductible donation of $2000 or more to the African Musical Arts Inc (or African Chorus) receive The Complete Works of Fred Onovwerosuoke (1988-2008). Handsomely clothbound in turquoise, burgundy or kente/adire cover and shipped directly from the bindery. Donate online or call 314-652-6800 for details.

Representation