Surendran Reddy
Encyclopedia
Surendran Reddy was a South African composer and pianist.
After his studies at the Royal College of Music
and King's College
in London he had a highly successful international career as a classical and jazz pianist. He invented his own new musical style called “clazz” in which he fuses classical, jazz, South African mbaqanga
and other world music elements. His compositions, which have been performed all over the world, include orchestral and chamber music as well as solo instrumental and vocal works.
, South Africa
on 9 March 1962. He grew up in Zimbabwe
where he started his musical career at an early age. He studied piano at the Rhodesian Academy of Music in Bulawayo
and already did concert tours as a classical pianist at the age of 13. At 15 he won a scholarship which took him to the Royal College of Music
in London
where he studied from 1977-1981 with inter alia Bernard Roberts
and Yonty Solomon
(piano), George Malcolm
(harpsichord), Virginia Pleasants (forte piano), Anthony Milner
(Harmony and counterpoint). From 1981 to 1982 he studied musicology at King's College, London University with inter alia Brian Trowell, Reinhard Strohm
, Pierluigi Petrobelli and Thomas Walker. He graduated at the age of 19 having won numerous awards. While still a student he had opportunities to perform at London's Wigmore Hall
, St Martin-in-the-Fields
and Queen Elizabeth Hall
.
After returning to South Africa he lectured at the University of Durban-Westville
, joined NAPAC as resident pianist and then became Head of the Music Department at FUBA Academy of Music in Johannesburg
. He played with all the major orchestras in South Africa and got to work with international artists such as Kiri Te Kanawa
, and the Harlem Dance Company amongst others. He has also played with numerous South African stars such as Sibongile Khumalo
, Allen Kwela
, André Guerlain (van Eeden) and Johnny Fourie
.
As a composer he has often been commissioned to compose pieces for national and international competitions. His works have been performed in Russia, Canada, the States and Germany as well as other countries. Reid Anderson
, Artistic Director of the Stuttgart Ballet and the world's foremost exponent of John Cranko
's ballets choreographed his "Four Romantic Piano Pieces" which became a hit of the Alberta Ballet
. In 1996 Southern African Music Rights Organisation SAMRO commissioned Surendran together with six other composers each to write a movement of a larger oratorio dealing with issues arising out of the Human Right's Treaty and intended as a gift from South Africa to the Olympic Games
held at Atlanta
in that year. His movement is entitled "Masakane" (Let Us Build Together) and the orchestral version of the piece was premiered on March 23, 2000 by the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban. His piece “Toccata for John Roos” was performed at the 11th Unisa International Piano Competition in Pretoria
in 2008.
Surendran has also written jingles for Radio and TV and worked as musical director for numerous shows. He has recorded extensively for the SABC
and worked on a number of albums included his two solo CDs "Reddy, Steady, Go!" and "Rough 'n Reddy". At the release of the latter CD he devised the term "clazz" to describe his own unique brand of fusion - a mixture of classical and jazz styles as well as South African mbaqanga and world music in general.
His fusion band Channel 18 – comprising himself on piano and keyboards, Bruce Cassidy on EVI (electronic valve instrument), Denis Lalouette on bass and Rob Watson on drums and featuring his own jazz compositions – has performed frequently all over South Africa. In Germany he performed at the Frankfurter Musikmesse with his duo called "Campaign for Real Time". In 2005 he toured South Africa and Germany together with tabla player Florian Schiertz performing a fusion of classical Indian tabla music and clazz.
His solo piano recitals took him a.o. to the Grahamstown Festival
, South Africa and the New Music Festival, Youngstown
.
Together with Michael Wiener he gave seminars on racism at various Hochschulen in Switzerland.
Apart from his work as a composer and performer, Surendran has also been a creative artist in the fields of poetry, literature and installation arts.
Surendran died on 22 January 2010 at the age of 47 in Konstanz
, Germany where he worked as a freelance composer, pianist and music lecturer.
After his studies at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
and King's College
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
in London he had a highly successful international career as a classical and jazz pianist. He invented his own new musical style called “clazz” in which he fuses classical, jazz, South African mbaqanga
Mbaqanga
Mbaqanga is a style of South African music with rural Zulu roots that continues to influence musicians worldwide today. The style originated in the early 1960s.-History:...
and other world music elements. His compositions, which have been performed all over the world, include orchestral and chamber music as well as solo instrumental and vocal works.
Biography
Surendran Reddy was born in DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
on 9 March 1962. He grew up in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
where he started his musical career at an early age. He studied piano at the Rhodesian Academy of Music in Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
and already did concert tours as a classical pianist at the age of 13. At 15 he won a scholarship which took him to the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where he studied from 1977-1981 with inter alia Bernard Roberts
Bernard Roberts
Bernard Roberts is a notable English pianist. His treatment of the cycle of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas has been particularly highly acclaimed.He is also noted for his recordings of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach...
and Yonty Solomon
Yonty Solomon
Jonathan " "Sir" Yonty" Solomon was a South African pianist who was soloist throughout the world with many of the most important symphony orchestras....
(piano), George Malcolm
George Malcolm (musician)
George Malcolm CBE was an English harpsichordist and conductor.Malcolm's first instrument was the piano, and his first teacher was a nun who recognised his talent and recommended him to the Royal College of Music. Malcolm went on to study at Balliol College, Oxford...
(harpsichord), Virginia Pleasants (forte piano), Anthony Milner
Anthony Milner
Anthony Milner was a British composer, teacher and conductor.Milner was born in Bristol, and educated at Douai School, Woolhampton, Berkshire. He won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he studied piano with Herbert Fryer and theory with R. O. Morris...
(Harmony and counterpoint). From 1981 to 1982 he studied musicology at King's College, London University with inter alia Brian Trowell, Reinhard Strohm
Reinhard Strohm
Reinhard Strohm is a German-English musicologist.Studied musicology, Latin and Italian literature in Munich and Berlin with Georgiades, Osthoff and Carl Dahlhaus and took the doctorate in 1971 with a dissertation on Italian opera arias of the early 18th century...
, Pierluigi Petrobelli and Thomas Walker. He graduated at the age of 19 having won numerous awards. While still a student he had opportunities to perform at London's Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
, St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is an Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. Its patron is Saint Martin of Tours.-Roman era:Excavations at the site in 2006 led to the discovery of a grave dated about 410...
and Queen Elizabeth Hall
Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
.
After returning to South Africa he lectured at the University of Durban-Westville
University of Durban-Westville
The University of Durban-Westville was formerly a university situated in Westville, Durban opened 1972. It now forms part of the campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Known as UDW, it was initially established for Indians as during apartheid there were few universities that admitted non-White...
, joined NAPAC as resident pianist and then became Head of the Music Department at FUBA Academy of Music in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. He played with all the major orchestras in South Africa and got to work with international artists such as Kiri Te Kanawa
Kiri Te Kanawa
Dame Kiri Jeanette Te Kanawa, ONZ, DBE, AC is a New Zealand / Māori soprano who has had a highly successful international opera career since 1968. Acclaimed as one of the most beloved sopranos in both the United States and Britain she possesses a warm full lyric soprano voice, singing a wide array...
, and the Harlem Dance Company amongst others. He has also played with numerous South African stars such as Sibongile Khumalo
Sibongile Khumalo
Sibongile Khumalo is a South African singer.-Biography:Sibongile Khumalo was born in Soweto and guided by her father, Khabi Mngoma, a professor of music, where she studied violin, singing, drama and dance. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from the University of Zululand and BA Honors...
, Allen Kwela
Allen Kwela
Allen Kwela was a kwela and jazz guitarist from South Africa. He was raised around Durban where he herded cattle and learned music after making a tin guitar. He began in kwela with Spokes Mashiyane, but later branched into jazz. His 1984 work The Broken Strings of Allen Kwela received award...
, André Guerlain (van Eeden) and Johnny Fourie
Johnny Fourie
Jan Carel Fourie was a South African Jazz guitarists.His first passion for music come whilst watching cowboy movies and Johnny wanted to imitate their sound.After this period he heard the George Shearing quintet in 1949...
.
As a composer he has often been commissioned to compose pieces for national and international competitions. His works have been performed in Russia, Canada, the States and Germany as well as other countries. Reid Anderson
Reid Anderson
Reid Anderson is a bassist and composer originally from Minnesota. Anderson is best known for his work in The Bad Plus with pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer Dave King...
, Artistic Director of the Stuttgart Ballet and the world's foremost exponent of John Cranko
John Cranko
John Cyril Cranko was a choreographer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet....
's ballets choreographed his "Four Romantic Piano Pieces" which became a hit of the Alberta Ballet
Alberta Ballet Company
The Alberta Ballet is located in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. It is Canada’s third largest dance company. Alberta Ballet has developed a distinctive repertoire and performance quality that has brought it to the forefront of national and international stages.- Creation :The Alberta Ballet was...
. In 1996 Southern African Music Rights Organisation SAMRO commissioned Surendran together with six other composers each to write a movement of a larger oratorio dealing with issues arising out of the Human Right's Treaty and intended as a gift from South Africa to the Olympic Games
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
held at Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
in that year. His movement is entitled "Masakane" (Let Us Build Together) and the orchestral version of the piece was premiered on March 23, 2000 by the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban. His piece “Toccata for John Roos” was performed at the 11th Unisa International Piano Competition in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
in 2008.
Surendran has also written jingles for Radio and TV and worked as musical director for numerous shows. He has recorded extensively for the SABC
South African Broadcasting Corporation
The South African Broadcasting Corporation is the state-owned broadcaster in South Africa and provides 18 radio stations as well as 3 television broadcasts to the general public.-Early years:Radio broadcasting began in South Africa in 1923...
and worked on a number of albums included his two solo CDs "Reddy, Steady, Go!" and "Rough 'n Reddy". At the release of the latter CD he devised the term "clazz" to describe his own unique brand of fusion - a mixture of classical and jazz styles as well as South African mbaqanga and world music in general.
His fusion band Channel 18 – comprising himself on piano and keyboards, Bruce Cassidy on EVI (electronic valve instrument), Denis Lalouette on bass and Rob Watson on drums and featuring his own jazz compositions – has performed frequently all over South Africa. In Germany he performed at the Frankfurter Musikmesse with his duo called "Campaign for Real Time". In 2005 he toured South Africa and Germany together with tabla player Florian Schiertz performing a fusion of classical Indian tabla music and clazz.
His solo piano recitals took him a.o. to the Grahamstown Festival
National Arts Festival
The National Arts Festival is one of the most important events on the South African cultural calendar, and the biggest annual celebration of the arts on the African continent....
, South Africa and the New Music Festival, Youngstown
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
.
Together with Michael Wiener he gave seminars on racism at various Hochschulen in Switzerland.
Apart from his work as a composer and performer, Surendran has also been a creative artist in the fields of poetry, literature and installation arts.
Surendran died on 22 January 2010 at the age of 47 in Konstanz
Konstanz
Konstanz is a university city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland. The city houses the University of Konstanz.-Location:...
, Germany where he worked as a freelance composer, pianist and music lecturer.
Solo Piano
- Four Romantic Piano Pieces, (choreographed by Reid Andersen for Alberta Ballet, Canada)
- Four Piano Pieces
- Homage to Bach
- Suite Freedom
- Don't give a Damn Blues
- Afrojol
- Ubunene ngamandla (gentleness is strength)
- Namibia
- Go for it!, 1992
- In the fast Lane
- Friends' suite
- daniel's dream
- African dance for hike
- fantasia for felix
- now what marion
- idyll for johan
- A touch of clazz 2:
- forbidden wedding (for Daniel)
- valse for marion and maurice
- African journey (for mathias)
- berceuse (for Marion)
- mayibuye – an African ballade (for hike)
- African lullaby (for leanne)
- Elevenses
- African funk for felix (piano + percussion)
- Phil-harmonie (piano / e. piano + drums)
- Ballade for florian (piano / e. piano + tablas), 2005
- Clazzical Sonata in C “Hammerclazz Sonata”, 2006
- Etude pour Flore, 2006
- Etude for Philipp, 2006
- Toccata “à la mode” 4 Mol(l)ina or “Requiem for a monk”, 2007
- Toccata for John Roos, 2007
Solo Instrumental (various instruments)
- Toccata for Madiba, 1997 for organ solo, SAMRO commission
- Mayibuye Suite, 2001 for organ solo, SAMRO commission
- 6 Baroque Suites for harpsichord or piano
- Game I for Lîla for clarinet, SAMRO commission
Chamber
- A la recherche de la paix et de la liberté (tenor, clarinet and piano) première 1993, Moscow
- Back to the Bass-IX for bass and piano, 2006
- Sonata F-A-I-R-P-L-A-Y for violon and piano, 2007
Orchestra
- Masakane – Let us build together, 1996, cantata for baritone, SATB choir and piano or orchestra based on the Human Rights Treaty
- Gaia – The Living Earth, cantata for soprano, baritone, SATB choir and piano or orchestra based on Chief Seathl's speech
Ballet
- Three Minutes to Midnight (ballet for electronic instruments and prepared piano)
- Dance of the Rain (ballet for electronic instruments and prepared piano)
Musical
- Dragon's Breath Adventure (children's musical), première 1994, National Arts Festival Grahamstown, South Africa
- Momo (incidental music for strings, clarinet sextet and piano)
Choral/Voice
- Masakane - Let us build together, 1996, cantata for baritone, SATB choir and piano or orchestra based on the Human Rights Treaty
- Gaia – The Living Earth, cantata for soprano, baritone, SATB choir and piano or orchestra based on Chief Seathl's speech
Piano Concertos with Orchestra (selection)
Soloist with all major orchestras in South Africa- Shostakovich 2 (London, 1981)
- Frank Martin: Concerto for Harpsichord (Johannesburg, 1985)
- Shostakovich 1 (Cape Town, 1986)
- Ravel: „Left Hand“ (Durban 1987)
- Bartok 3 (Durban, 1989)
- Beethoven 4 (Bloemfontein, 1991)
- Prokofiev 3 (Johannesburg, 1992)
- Gershwin: Concerto in F (Johannesburg, 1992)
- Mozart K466 (Kairo, 1995)
- Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (Stellenbosch, 1998)
International Concerts, Solo Jazz Recitals, Concerts with Orchestras/ Bands (selection)
- Sun City, South Africa, 1995 (with National Symphony Orchestra and Kiri Te Kanawa)
- Grahamstown Arts Festival, South Africa, 1991-1996 (solo jazz recital, with fusion band Channel 18)
- Gershwin Revue: With André Guerlain (van Eeden)(1991 Observatory Theatre, Bloemfontein) Musical
- Big Band Revue: With André Guerlain, 1991 Café Noir Cabaret Café International.
- Zeltfestival Konstanz, Germany, 1996 (solo jazz recital)
- Deutsche Welle, Köln, Germany, 1996
- Concert Tour "Pops" with National Symphony Orchestra, 1996, Amann, Jordan, Cairo, Egypt
- Stadthalle, München-Germering, Germany, 1997
- Opening Kulturzentrum Konstanz, 1998 (performance of his choral work Masakane)
- Potchefstroom Arts Festival (solo jazz recital, with fusion band Channel 18), South Africa, 1998
- Oudtshoorn Arts Festival (solo jazz recital, with fusion band Channel 18), South Africa, 1998
- Aachener Kulturtage (solo jazz recital), Aachen, Germany, 1998
- "Harmonie" jazz club, Bonn, Germany, 1998
- Frankfurter Musikmesse 1996 and 1999 (with band Campaign for Real Time)
- Little Shop of Horrors (musical), Konstanz, 1998 and 1999
- Dana New Music Festival, Youngstown, USA, 1996 and 2000
- Tour South Africa 2005 with tabla player Florian Schiertz
Partial discography
- Johannesburg Pops, soloist with orchestra, 1990
- Tussen Treine, with Richard v.d. Westhuizen and Lochner de Cock
- Reddy, Steady, Go! solo jazz piano featuring original compositions, arrangements, improvisations, 1994
- Rough' n Reddy, solo jazz piano, 1996
- April Fool's Day, as rock keyboarder in band Element 58
Prizes and Awards
- 1st prize Royal Overseas League International Competition, 1979, London
- Raymond Russell Prize for harpsichord 1980, Royal College of Music (RCM), London
- Hilda Andersen Deane Prize for clavichord 1982, RCM, London
- Arthur Bliss Memorial Prize for best all-round musicianship 1982, RCM, London
- 1st prize South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC),1985, competition in both piano and harpsichord categories (the first time this had ever happened)