©Rebeca Omordia
©Rebeca Omordia
(Event 6: Tue 7 Oct 2025 8.00pm Little Missenden Church)
Rebeca Omordia piano
Ayo Bankole Variations for Little Ayo; Egun Variations
Christian Onyeji Ufie, Igbo dance
Nabil Benabdeljalil Nocturnes no4 and no6
Fred Onovwerosuoke Studies in African Rhythms; 5 Kaleidoscopes; Larghetto espressivo
Girma Yifrashewa Elilta
Salim Dada Miniatures Algériennes; Danse Zaydan; Soirée au Hoggar
Mokale Koapeng Prelude in D flat
Grant McLachlan Senzeni Na
Florence Price Fantasie Nègre
Majorie Hajary Surinaamse Rapsodie
Programme Notes available for download here and free at concert
A rich School of African Art Music emerged in the 20th century but remained virtually unknown in this country until a few years ago when Rebeca Omordia’s research started to bring it to light. Hundreds of composers from West and North Africa who had studied in Europe returned to their home countries and developed a widely diversemusical genre, a blend of African traditional and Western classical music. Gradually, other African countries followed suit with the result that the African classical piano repertoire today is huge. This programme demonstrates its sheer variety in pieces from composers with roots in all four corners of the continent.
We're excited to welcome Rebeca to this year's festival. Ed McKeon from our Programme Committee talks about Rebeca and the piano music from Africa that she will be playing here (https://shorturl.at/GIcsp).
“Anybody who wants to know more about art music ranging across an entire continent will find much of interest here: almost all of the pieces are receiving their first recordings, and Rebeca Omordia is their ideal advocate” International Piano Review
Hailed as an “African classical music pioneer” (BBC World Service) and “a classical music game changer” (Classical Music), Rebeca is an exciting virtuoso with a wide-ranging career as soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and artistic director. Her many recordings include the BBC Music Magazine award-winning Piano Concerto by Errollyn Wallen, composed especially for her, with the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by John Andrews.
In 2019 she launched the world’s first ever African Concert Series in London with the aim of creating a monthly platform for African classical music performance. In 2022 the series was given recognition by joining Wigmore Hall’s Family of Partners, and the following year Rebeca became resident there.
This concert is dedicated to the memory of Michael Cox
Online booking is managed by TicketSource. This event may be booked from the Tickets link on this page but, when booking for multiple events, it may be more convenient to use our Little Missenden Festival page on TicketSource.
Tue 7 Oct 2025 8.00pm
Little Missenden Church
£30, £22, £12
Online booking is managed by TicketSource. This event may be booked from the Tickets link on this page but, when booking for multiple events, it may be more convenient to use our Little Missenden Festival page on TicketSource.