Occupation(s) Composer, Professor | ||
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Birth name James Stephen Mzilikazi Khumalo Born June 20, 1932 (age 84)
KwaNgwelu, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa ( 1932-06-20 ) | ||
James Stephen Mzilikazi Khumalo (20 June 1932 —) is a South African composer and professor of African languages.
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Early life
Khumalo was born on the farm KwaNgwelu in Natal in 1932. Shortly after Khumalo's birth his parents were ordained as ministers in Salvation Army, which ran the farm at the time. The family moved to Hlabisa, where Khumalo started school. It was at this school that his lifelong involvement with choral music began; "Khumalo developed a deep love for traditional music."
Scholar of African languages
After completing high school Khumalo enrolled at the teachers' training college in Mamelodi, he continued his studies, obtaining a bachelor's degree with majors in English and Zulu in 1956 from the University of South Africa, and subsequently completed masters and doctoral degrees.
Khumalo began as a tutor in the Department of African Languages of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in 1969 and advanced to become a professor of African languages and head of the Department of Africal Languages at Wits.
Composer
His first composition was Ma Ngificwa Ukufa, which had its premiere in 1959.
His compositions consist principally of settings of Zulu texts. His Five African Songs is an arrangement of four traditional songs and one modern tune for choir and symphony orchestra. It has been recorded by the South African National Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, conducted by Richard Cock. Two of the five songs are in the Xhosa language, and the other three are in Zulu. The piece has also been orchestrated by Peter Louis Van Dijk.
In 1986 provided a choral composition for the enthronement of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Khumalo is also the composer of the oratorio Ushaka KaSenzangakhona, which tells the story of the Zulu king, Shaka.
Khumalo was commissioned by Opera Africa for an opera resulting in Princess Magogo kaDinuzulu, an opera about the zulu princess, musician and poet Princess Constance Magogo kaDinuzulu. The opera was the first Zulu language opera.
He also played a role in producing an official version of the National Anthem of South Africa, at the request of President Nelson Mandela.
Published works
Awards and honours
In 2015 Wits University awarded him with an honorary doctorate.