Undine Smith Moore Soweto for piano trio
Bongani Ndodana Breen Safika: Three Tales of African Migration for piano quintet
Lavell Blackwell On the Impulse to Move for string quartet
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Piano Quintet

African Tales shines light on classical works by three Black composers from Africa and the Diaspora.

Internationally acclaimed pianist and historian Samantha Ege is joined by the Castle of Our Skins quartet. Together, they perform a varied programme with works for piano quintet and piano trio.

Two powerful compositions by Bongani Ndodana-Breen and Undine Smith Moore respond to the harrowing history of apartheid. The programme closes with the Piano Quintet in G minor by Samuel Coleridge Taylor, an inspirational figure for many worldwide.

“Though many of the pieces will be unfamiliar to the majority of classical music lovers, the themes of fortitude, resistance, and hope will resonate deeply” Samantha Ege

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FREE TICKETS FOR 8-25 YEAR OLDS TO SELECTED CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERTS Through the generous support of the CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust, we are able to offer young people aged 8-25 the fantastic opportunity to experience selected concerts absolutely free.

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Before the concert:

Vibe Lounge: SUSO Ensemble 6.30pm
The Vibe are a team of passionate musicians from all over Southampton. Our exciting projects aim to reach young people, highlighting the amazing music scene in our city!

Tonight, we shine a light on the incredible works for string orchestra composed by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Talented musicians from SUSO, the University’s Youth Symphony Orchestra, perform ahead of this evening’s African Tales recital.

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About Castle of Our Skins

Castle of our Skins (COOS) is a Boston-based educational series dedicated to celebrating Black artistry through music. From classrooms to concert halls, COOS invites explorations into Black heritage and culture, spotlighting both unsung and celebrated figures of the past and present. Violist Ashleigh Gordon and composer Anthony R. Green founded COOS in 2013 to address the lack of equity in composer representation on concert stages and the omission of important stories and figures in Black history. A decade on, the organisation still shines as a beacon for diversity in the arts.

About Samantha Ege 

Samantha Ege is a musicologist, pianist, and research fellow at the University of Southampton. Her research and repertoire tightly entwine, illuminating 20th-century composers of African descent and women in music. She has published extensively in these areas. As a concert pianist, she made her London debut at the London Festival of American Music in September 2021 and her Barbican debut soon after in November that year. Samantha has since proved a sought-after recitalist and concerto soloist with engagements across the UK, Europe, US, and Canada. Her collaborations with Castle of our Skins represent her first significant engagements as a chamber musician.

Samantha Ege piano, narrator

Castle of our Skins
Gabriela Díaz violin
Matthew Vera violin
Ashleigh Gordon viola
Francesca McNeeley cello