composer, poet, percussionist, educator, broadcaster, workshop leader, creative leadership consultant, conflict resolution consultant



Eugene Skeef’s CV

EUGENE SKEEF FRSA
21 Iveley Road
London SW4 0EN
United Kingdom
Tel/Fax: +44 20 7627 5420
e-mail: eugeneskeef@googlemail.com

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Winner of 1995 ABSA award for a new commission Spirit of the Drumsong by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra - sponsored by Scottish Power. Won the Queen’s Award for Ngoma in South Africa, a collaboration with the London Philharmonic Orchestra for which he trained the players and led the education programme in 1994. Voted Visiting Lecturer of the Year (1992) by Goldsmith’s College music students. He has been an advisor to the Contemporary Music Network and also acted as an assessor for London Arts and Arts Council England. Serves on the Board of Directors of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Eugene is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.



South Africa (until 1980)

Early 70's Active in cultural wing of Black Consciousness Movement, travelling around the country reviving traditional art forms.
Worked closely with Steve Biko on nationwide literacy campaign.


1975 Devised and performed "The Rebirth" at the University of the Western Cape.


1976 Performed "Rebirth" in Soweto during uprisings.


1976-1980 Played active part in the creative movement that led to the nationwide explosion of popular theatre, poetry, music and the subsequent establishment of regional arts collectives.
1977-1979 Taught poetry and drama at Abangani Open School, Durban
(Institute of Race Relations).
Assisted in extensive research on South African music which
resulted in the publication of the book "In Township Tonight" by David Coplan.


1978 Founded music and dramatic poetry group "Malopoets" which performed in South Africa and subsequently Britain, Europe and the U.S.A.
Collaborated with Mabitsela Malefane as chief correspondent in Natal for African Music Dept. (UNESCO), Lesotho.


England (arrived July 1980)

1981 Converted living room of a Brixton council flat into an exhibition and arts workshop space for local artists and children.
Formed combined arts group "Metaphorhythms" and staged at the Oval House Theatre a performance (choreography, African masks and symbols) based on his poetry on the South African political struggle.
Started 10 years of establishing and teaching at the Oval House Music School - African drumming, chanting and jazz composition.
Began 3 years of performing with London based poetry and music group Pula Arts Commune.


1982 Co-founded PITSO organisation that set out to bring together South African artists - irrespective of political alignment - living in exile in Britain.
Composed soundtrack for film by Jimmy Matthews on the South African sculptor Pitika Ntuli.


1983 Devised and staged a music and movement performance using ancient African myths and combining contemporary Western and traditional African music - "Masibambisane".


Since 1983 Toured major festivals providing music for award winning Guyanese poet John Agard & led extensive workshops and performances with children.
Composed soundtrack for Channel 4 (Bacchanal Series) documentary "Exiles " on South African artists.
Co-founded Dade Krama traditional African music group.
Composed and performed music for "Trojan Snapshots" by
Lorna Marshall, a performance based on "The Women of Troy" by Euripedes, combining ancient Greek theatre, modern dance, mime and music.
Devised and staged "Sing For The Motherland" at Oval House Theatre.
Worked closely with internationally acclaimed Kenyan authors Ngugi wa Thiongo and Micere Githae Mugo (Wazalendo Players) to produce their play "The Trial of Dedan Kimathi" about the Kenyan peasant revolt (Mau Mau).
Since arriving in England extensive summer workshops on music, instrument making and performance with children.
Appearances with various jazz outfits including District Six, Kintone, Thebe Lipere, Bheki Mseleku, Mervyn Africa.


1985 Composed and performed music for Loose Change Theatre production "Serenade in the Night".
Organised combined arts exhibition "Boomerang to the Source" with South African and London based British artists (Monti wa Marumo) at Brixton Art Gallery giving lectures, performances and workshops.


1986 Collaborated with Mervyn Africa on music for Channel 4 documentary "Still on Strike" about an industrial dispute involving a British company.
Taught African history through performing arts at Jenako Arts, Hackney, London.


1987 Composed music for Dutch National Ballet, Amsterdam in "Ours to Hold" performed as part of C.A.S.A. (Anti-Apartheid festival).
Composed and performed "live" music for Dutch (IKON) T.V. production of Jack Klaff's play "Nagging Doubt".
Composed and performed music for "Serote Speaks", a contemporary dance piece combining Oriental movement, mime and African oral traditions, based on the poetry of ANC poet
Mongane Wally Serote. Performed at Edinburgh Festival and toured Holland as part of Stagedoor Festival.


1988 Taught on Loose Change Theatre summer course (movement, music and storytelling) held at "El Teatro de la Fuente" in Bedar, Spain.
Co-directed performance based on Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "100 Years of Solitude" at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre, London.
Conducted summer school with Weekend Arts College students on performing arts skills at South Bank Centre.
Conducted education programme at Royal Festival Hall linked to performances by London Philharmonic Orchestra and Dunya (Afro-Asian group) - Contemporary Music Network.


1989 Co-ordinator of Oval House Music School (1988 - 1993).
Extensive work as consultant and workshop leader with London Sinfonietta and South Bank Centre at arts centres, in prisons, with colleges and schools (1988 - present time).
Consultant for "The Colour of Europe" festival at the South Bank Centre.
Workshops with Nigel Osborne for Glyndebourne Education.


1992 Education Director of African Music for London Sinfonietta "World Music Project" including player training, workshops and performances.
Led workshops in rhythm and movement for Africa Oye festival of African music, Liverpool.
Lecturer (Post Graduate Certificate of Education) in music at Goldsmiths College, University of London.


1993 Project leader with London Sinfonietta.
Workshop leader on prisons project with Glyndebourne Education.
Workshop leader with Africa Oye festival.
Research trip to South Africa to compile material on African music for London Sinfonietta education initiative.
Led performance based workshops at Activate Festival, Cork, Republic of Ireland.
Director of Education and Outreach Programmes for the London Philharmonic Orchestra's tour to South Africa (featuring on African percussion with South African soprano Sibongile Khumalo).


1994 Led training programmes for the L.P.O. with Gillian Moore, Director of Education Programmes at South Bank Centre.
Experimental composition, "Psalm of the Rivers" for A.N.C. Cultural Festival.
Devised and performed "Umkhambathi" at Unity Theatre, Liverpool.
Workshop leader for World Circuit Arts programme on music from the Horn of Africa at South Bank Centre.
Composed "Umoya we-Ngoma" - commission by Royal Scottish National Orchestra (winner of 1995 ABSA award) - which involved directing a 6 month education project with the orchestra, junior choir and schools.
Researcher and presenter of "Sounds of Africa" series on South African music for BBC World Service.
Directed percussion project for London Sinfonietta in East Sussex schools.
Conducted NGOMA (cultural education exchange) research trip to South Africa.
Directed DUNYA Parks project in South London involving African/Asian percussion and carnival design arts.
Workshop leader on summer course for young adults with learning difficulties, The Grange Arts Centre.
Performed premiere of Umoya we-Ngoma for F.W. de Klerk in Edinburgh in September.
Led teacher training and workshops for London Sinfonietta in Surrey schools.
Ran teacher training course for the London Borough of Greenwich.


1995 Artistic Director of the NGOMA Project in South Africa (January - April) conducting outreach and education workshops in art forms encompassing hip-hop, opera, jazz, carnival, poetry, composition, arts administration (Included Gala performance for Nelson Mandela and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II).
Toured South Africa as percussionist, player trainer and Director of Education Programmes with London Philharmonic Orchestra, working extensively with South African storyteller Gcina Mhlope.
Featured on "All Join In!", an educational CD by the Royal National Institute for the Blind.


1996 Conducted education workshop and performance for teachers and costume designers in London Arts Board seminar on Nottinghill Carnival in the Curriculum, London.
Intensive music education workshops for Japanese teachers and composers for London Sinfonietta at Royal Festival Hall, London.
Formed Pinise Saul's Ziyaduma - South African vocal ensemble
Featured in Folkworks' international acapella festival - VOCAL CHORDS (WORLD IN HARMONY) - in Newcastle and at Barbican Centre (London) giving largescale workshops on voice, percussion and movement.
Translated Ndebele/Zulu subtitles and co-ordinated actors for RHODES, the BBC TV series.
Organised and conducted public interactive Percussion/Artists' Networking picnic on Clapham Common - combining theatre, Nigerian dance, storytelling, children's performance,opera, poetry, discussion, group percussion and singing.
Led intensive National Youth Orchestra residential course (linked to the Proms) on creative music, exploring new techniques in composition and improvisation.
Arts Research and Development trip to Nigeria - conducting 'taster' workshops in music, mime, carnival and conflict resolution, and exploring prospects for Ngoma project in 1997.
Devised and led Open Ears, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival's first multi-age, multi-ability, multi-cultural, multi-arts based composition and performance project.


1997 Developed creative partnership with South African High Commission and Royal Festival Ha ll in London towards a multi- arts event, In Memory of Our Seasons.
Research, film and recording in South Africa towards composition, In Memory of Our Seasons.
Conducted holistic music and creative movement workshops at Rising Sun environmental project in Newcastle.
Conducted international teachers' workshop on Ligeti's music for the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Invited to represent the UK at international seminar on Arts & Development in Harare, Zimbabwe.
At the invitation of the charity War Child and the composer Nigel Osborne, staged interactive concerts and conducted music healing workshops for traumatised children and youth in Mostar and Sarajevo.
Appointed Director of Music Development of the Pavarotti Music Centre (PMC), a War Child initiative in Mostar, Bosnia-Hercegovina.
Represented the PMC at international conference on music healing at the Centre for African Music and Dance, University of Legon, Ghana - part of Panafest cultural festival.Represented South Africa, the PMC and War Child at the 9th International Music Festival in Khartoum, Sudan (performing on stage with street children). Conducted music healing workshops for street children and refugees in youth detention centres.


1998-99 Presented BBC millennium concert for peace in Durban, South
Africa.
Speaker at Association of Moral Education in Hanover, USA.
Appointed creative consultant at Roundhouse arts centre, London.
UK tour with Tunde Jegede Ensemble.
Speaker and workshop leader at International Society for Performing Arts (ISPA) conference in New York, on theme of "Creative Leadership in the New Millenium."
Helped form Mostar Sevdah Reunion, a Bosnian band playing traditional (sevdah) music.
Published article in European Journal of Intercultural Studies - title: "African Drumming: a perfect tool for a more open and inclusive approach to intercultural education and development."
Creative input and presentation at Creative Exchange symposium on creative projects in the Balkans.

 

2000 Presented BBC Radio 3 series on South African music.
Began annual music healing retreat at Laketrails wilderness camp on Lake of the Woods (Minnesota & Canada), aimed at young Bosnians of different ethnic designations.
Key-note speaker at several conferences/seminars on post-war trauma healing and humanitarian work.
"Linking Continents with Music for the Millenium" - Artistic Director of Call & Response, an innovative video link music project between communities in Birmingham and Johannesburg (first of its kind).


2001 Appointed a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).
Presented BBC Radio 3 series on South African music on the theme of UBUNTU (human harmony).
Artistic Director of Music Without Borders, an international cultural exchange project involving 40 youth from London, Minneapolis/St. Paul and California. The project took place in the wilderness of Lake of the Woods. Travelled to South Africa with Lucy Duran to record and present programme of music at Awesome Africa festival for BBC Radio 3.
Presented Radio 3's Africa Music Night with Lucy Duran - a programme devoting 5 hours to the music of Africa, including live music by artists like Kekele, Justin Vali and Sekou Keita.
Participated in discussion on the role of songs and song writing across the continent of Africa.


2002 Member of Concert Halls Committee - determining the future of the Royal Festival Hall and other concert halls at London's South Bank Centre.
Conducted extensive research on the transformative qualities of the udu, a ceramic musical instrument created and developed as a ceremonial instrument by Nigerian women of the Igbo tribe.
Developed Umoya Creations, a company founded to promote international cultural exchange, global music education among young people and post war trauma healing through music.


2003 Registered and launched Umoya Creations as a charity. Consolidated the first phase of the charity's work, which takes in Bosnia & Hercegovina, the United Kingdom, Nigeria and South Africa.
Joined Board of Directors of Artsadmin, an organisation that provides a comprehensive management service and unique national resource for contemporary artists in the UK.
Featured in Water Music, a book of photographs of water by the American photographer Marjorie Myerson. The book has written contributions on the relationship between water and music by 66 musicians from more than 20 countries.
Performed and conducted music-and-movement workshop at African Diaspora and Development Day (ad3) in London, focusing on young African perspectives and the development challenges facing the African continent. Organised by AFFORD.
Led IMPULSE creative music workshops at Purcell School of Music, training pupils to assist me in running creative music workshops in primary schools.
Invited Bosnian musicians on behalf of Umoya Creations for development training and to participate in world class performances and conduct creative workshops in London schools.
Formed Umoya Ensemble, a contemporary music group with membership from several cultural backgrounds, including South Africa, Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana, Bosnia and Britain.
Conducted corporate staff training workshop for management team of Neal's Yard Remedies, a London based company dealing in herbal medicines, homoeopathic remedies, essential oils and natural body care products.
Started recording albums: Umoya Ensemble, solo and duo with South African jazz pianist Bheki Mseleku.
Featured on Monique’s album “On the boulevard des homes.”


2004 Became musician-in-residence at Purcell School of Music, UK.
Conducted music workshops as part of Commonwealth Arts & Entertainment international project at Oval House Arts Centre, London.
Created mobile music performance as part of City of London Festival.
Became consultant for SoundJunction, a multiple award-winning interactive online multimedia music education programme devised by the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music, London.
Awarded the 2004 Paul Keough award for leadership in the water environment through contribution to Water Music, a book of photographs by Marjorie Ryerson and writing by international musicians and composers.
Initiated creative mentoring scheme to train young musicians in the skill of leading music workshops for young people
Recorded with Tunde Jegede, master kora player and composer.
Started creative residency at Bore Place, a beautiful retreat in Kent, England, that facilitates international creative projects and development education.
Composed and recorded Harmony, a choral piece aimed at young teenagers for the Youth Music Singbook compilation.
Led London Sinfonietta music workshops based on Luciano Berio’s Folk Songs.
Devised music education project with members of Copenhagen Rhythm Academy to take to South African prisons.
Led creative workshops as part of Performance Arts Labs (PAL) at Bore Place, Kent designed to enhance teachers’ creative teaching of science.
Featured on Robert Mitchell’s album TRUST.
Featured on Tunde Jegede’s Moving Away recording for SoundJujnction.
Performed at Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre as part of Harrison Birtwhistle’s “What Strikes the Clock?”


2005 Conducted Creative Partnerships Action Research Project at Light Oaks School in Salford, Manchester to explore the water drum in a creative music-making context. This project was done in conjunction with the Salford University’s acoustics department.
Composed and performed Tsunami Requiem at Buckingham Palace in the presence of the Royal family as part of the historic first themed Music Day.
Consultant at third Creative Science teaching PAL retreat at Bore Place, Kent.
Travelled to Nigeria on behalf of my charity Umoya Creations to conduct extensive research on the udu clay pot drum among its originators, the Igbo women.
Started Fair Trade business to import and globally market udu drums to be produced in Nigeria, South Africa and Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Went on outreach trip to Cornwall with Purcell School of Music students (as part of my residential student training) to do creative music making with primary school pupils.
Conducted masterclasses on African percussion, rhythm, composition and improvisation funded by the Scottish Arts Council.
Created Growing Sound with biologist Dr. Ray Mathias and creative science communicator Steve Mesure. This is an ongoing creative project aimed at young people, using musical instruments made from fruit and vegetables to explore the physics of sound, plant biology, music composition and garden design.
Conducted creative music making workshops with the National Youth Orchestra of Britain.
Consultant for the artistic programme of the 2005 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Malta.
Won the Harry E. Schlenz Medal for contribution to Water Music, a book of photographs by Marjorie Ryerson and writing by international musicians and composers.
Conducted masterclasses as part of the African Foundation For Development’s annual African Diaspora and Development Day (ad3).
Keynote speaker at Ethical Eye inter-faith conference on the theme of global citizenship.
Created piece in honour of Mahatma Ghandi in collaboration with Indian musicians from the Bhavan Centre in London. The title of the piece is “bhinna abhinna” and it was inspired by the theme of Peace and Unity.
Norwich and Norfolk Community Arts - Professional Development: Ran music workshops to develop singing teaching skills.
Explored creative ideas with Howard Goodall as aid to co-composing music for Jude Kelly’s production of King Cotton, a musical about slavery and Lancashire cotton mills.
Workshop leader on PAL Creative Science Teaching lab at Bore Place, Kent.
Worked with Tunde Jegede on Cry Of Innocence concert.
Led workshops with Marcina Arnold to develop my song Harmony for performance by London Philharmonic Orchestra, rhythm section and choir.
Initiated How Do UDU (educational project using the udu clay pot drum with schools in Kent) in collaboration with the charity Commonwork. Did How Do Udu teachers’ INSET.


2006 Awarded a Fellowship by Arts Council England to take up 3 month residency at the Banff Arts Centre in Canada to develop In Memory Of Our Seasons, a composition for the London Sinfonietta.
Gave masterclasses in African rhythm and harmony to BanffCentre residents. This resulted in a chamber concert with the Danish Kaleido String Quartet and the Australian contemporary musician Rae Howell.
Began Water Peace, an interdisciplinary composition at Banff Centre with international artists Beverley Simms (sculpture), Catherine Thompson (percussion and strings), Rae Howell (vibraphone), Antonio Gonzales (Bassoon) and Anna Blomkvist (violin and voice).
Filmed and recorded glacial environments towards a composition on the natural power of water.
Set up a series of live recording sessions involving a wide cross-section of musicians, poets, storytellers and sound engineers at Banff Centre. These were like on-the-spot music creative workshops that I facilitated with immensely gifted artists who were in residence with me. The engineers included Tracey Chapman’s dedicated sound engineer Jared Miller. I am yet to release the album.
Music facilitator at Engineering Ideas Factory, a creative week run by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to develop projects about raising the public’s awareness of science and engineering. (Out of this grew Street Vibe in 2008).
Led workshops at Purcell School of Music.
Judged BBC Choir of the Year competition.
Started work as Creative Director of Motherland, a dance theatre production by sampad, the Birmingham based South Asian dance organization (I led creative exploration retreats in the different disciplines used in this international production).
How Do Udu creative residential at Bore Place, Kent. This project included the South African potter Clive Sithole teaching school children, teachers and Commonwork staff to make udus (clay pot drums).
Collaborated with Jude Kelly on preparations and auditions for King Cotton.
Started Growing Sounds with scientists Steve Mesure and Ray Mathias. Growing Sounds is a project using fruit and vegetables with school children to make musical instruments and to enhance their understanding of plant biology, composition and acoustic principles.
Composed Remembrance in honour of the 30th anniversary of the death of Hector Pietersen, the 14 year old school boy who was the first to be shot by the police during the Soweto uprising on 16 June 1976.
Appointed by Jude Kelly (Artistic Director of Southbank Centre, London) as Associate Artist.
Artistic Director of Peckham Splash, a creative project working with school children in the London borough of Southwark.
Consultant advisor for The Commonwealth Resounds, a cultural project involving artists from Commonwealth countries.
Artistic Director of the live music component of Moti Roti’s Priceless, a project that took over Exhibition Road in London.
Performed with Tunde Jegede and string quartet.
Music facilitator on PAL Labs of the Senses, with scientific experts of international acclaim.
Gave interactive talk and told stories about my childhood to pupils of Heathbrook Primary School, London.
Performed at Sing For Water charity event with 700 singers at the Scoop, London.
Meeting with Vladimir Jurowski, Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), to explore the LPO’s commission Excite by me and Richard Bissill.
Travelled to India to research Motherland themes and film images that would inspire the music, choreography and poetry for the dance theatre production coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the official abolition of the Atlantic slave trade.


2007 Artistic Director of Our Point Of View, a Creative Partnerships project about Peckham aimed at enhancing the literacy and creative interviewing skills of Gloucester Primary School pupils. This project culminated in a showing of a film made collectively by the children at their local cinema.
Composed The Udu Song (about the udu – clay pot drum) to be sung by a choir of school children with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The song, created out of workshops in several schools, was performed at the Barbican, London.
Conducted intensive rhythm and harmony improvisation workshop for LPO players based on The Udu Song.
Re-directed and devised (with performer Leo Kay) Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Performed at the Barbican and Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Led workshops for singing teachers in Northamptonshire.
Begun two-year project as Artistic Director and composer of the Word Garden for Southwark Splash. The project involved 12 Southwark primary schools, teachers and visiting artists to create a performance with singing, poetry, design, dancing and instrumental music.
Southwark Splash INSET for teachers.
Directed Motherland creative retreats (writing, choreography, music) involving the world renowned choreographer and niece of Ravi Shankar, Mamata Shankar, acclaimed choreographers Bawren Tavaziva (Zimbabwe) and Santosh Nair (India), composer Praveen D Rao (India) and dramaturg Jatinder Verma (founder of Tara Arts).
Created and directed From The Heart, an interactive public engagement project inspired by the human heart commissioned by the Wellcome Trust to coincide with the launch of their medically themed exhibition. This project was in collaboration with Kit Downes (jazz pianist) and Roxana Pope (dancer, singer, filmmaker).
Motherland nationwide tour and community and educational discussions and workshops at universities and arts centres.
My choral work Harmony is sung by the Birmingham Choir in presence of the Queen at Westminster Abbey to celebrate Commonwealth Day.
Conducted player-training sessions with LPO towards Excite, the collaborative composition with Richard Bissill.
Appeared in Rhythms of Peace, a Stop the War Coalition benefit concert at St James, Piccadilly with arts luminaries including Prunella Scales, Ben Okri, John Pilger, Julie Christie, Janet Suzman and David Soul.


2008 World premiere of Excite (co-composed with Richard Bissill), a London Philharmonic Orchestra commission performed by the orchestra and conducted by the Principal Conductor Vladimir Jurowski at the Royal Festival Hall.
Street Vibe – an open air festival at the Scoop, London. The festival aimed to entertain and educate the public about the principles of engineering and science through the use of music and performance.
Directed extensive creative music making workshops in Southwark schools developing the performance of the Word Garden music theatre piece, which took place at Goldsmiths College, London. The performance involved about 350 children.
Filmed Growing Sounds project for Teachers TV. This project involves making music instruments from fruit and vegetables as a stimulating way to explore plant biology, physics of sound and creative music making/composing.
Established creative partnership between the LPO and the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra to develop educational programmes.






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Publications (Poetry/Prose):
1978-1988 Ten Years of Staffrider - Raven Press, Johannesburg
1986 New Beacon Review - New Beacon Books, London
1994 Salutes - Selected Writings - Troubadour Press/Whirlwind Press, USA
1999 European Journal of Intercultural Studies, EU
2003 Water Music – University of Michigan Press, USA

Awards and Honours:
1992 - Voted Visiting Lecturer of the Year at Goldsmith’s College (University of London) by postgraduate music students.
1995 - Received the Queen’s Award for Ngoma, an education and outreach project developed by Eugene and taken to South Africa with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
1995 - Winner of ABSA award for a new commission, Spirit of the Drumsong, by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
1999 - Awarded Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of his outstanding contribution as Peace Heartbeat at Bosnian Peace-building Wilderness Learning Program in Minnesota, USA.
2001 - Appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).
2003 – Water Music – Winner of the Paul Keough Award
2005 – Marjorie Ryerson’s Water Music – Winner of the Harry E. Schlenz Medal
2006 – SoundJunction - Winner of the NMA Effectiveness Award in the music category