Apotheosis Art House

07/03/2025

3 concert appearances, African pianism, Black History Month, February 2025.

In celebration of , Nigerian poet and pianist Echezonachukwu Nduka recently performed and spoke about his work in African pianism at various concerts and events in the United States.

These showcased the richness and diversity of African pianism, highlighting the need for greater representation and recognition of African composers and musicians in the classical music world.

Here is a photo recap of the events. Visit our YouTube page: Apotheosis Art House to watch the recordings.

06/02/2025

On the 7th, 10th and 14th of February 2025, Nigerian poet and pianist, Echezonachukwu Nduka will be performing and speaking about his work in African pianism at several concerts and events in the United States.

Tomorrow, Friday, the 7th, he will be featured on Music in the Pavilon: Music From Around the Globe, a concert presented by the University of Pennsylvania’s Music Department, the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, and the Otto E. Albrecht Music Library. The concert slated to take place at the Van Pelt Library Center, Philadelphia, PA, will be preceded by a talk on African pianism by Nduka. He will be joined by Sarah Le Van, a violinist and a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania as the co-star performer. They will perform works by Nigerian composers Christian Onyeji and Joshua Uzoigwe; selections from 24 Studies in African Rhythms by Nigerian-Ghanaian-American composer Fred Onovwerosuoke; among others. The concert is free.

On Monday, the 10th, to mark Black History Month, Nduka will be hosted by the Kroc Center of Philadelphia in a concert that celebrates Black excellence in classical music. There, he will also deliver a lecture on African pianism and perform works from his piano recital, Resounding African Pianism, which celebrates performance of piano works by composers of Africa and African descent. He will be joined by a flutist, DeJanee Jones. The event is scheduled to be held at the Kroc Center of Philadelphia, 6-8PM. It is free as well.

Friday, 14th February, Nduka will debut at the West African Art Music Festival organised by the New England Conservatory (NEC), where he will deliver a piano performance seminar on African Pianism. He will be joined by Emmanuel Attah Poku, Royal Drummer of the Ashanti King’s palace in Kumasi and Professor Olabode Omojola, the resident festival scholar. The event is also free and open to the public. Join him 10AM, Friday the 14th, at the NEC Centre where the festival will take place from the 12th - 14th of February 2025.

You can sign up for all events here: https://www.artnduka.com/concerts.

14/01/2025

Hello world and happy 2025!

We are excited to share two new publications by Nigerian poet and pianist, Echezonachukwu Nduka. A poem, titled Hair published on ANA Review, Vol 12 (2024) edited by Obari Gomba, and then a review of the piano album 'African Pianism' (Omordia, 2022) published by the Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa.

Get a copy of the ANA Review to read Nduka's poem and visit the link below to read his review: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/18121004.2024.2437711.

25/08/2024

Nigerian poet and pianist, Echezonachukwu Nduka takes African Pianism to New York Stage

On August 17 2024, Nigerian poet and pianist, Echezonachukwu Nduka performed a solo recital at the UCCB Casual Concert Series in Buffalo, New York, USA. In what was regarded as the most attended concert in the series, Nduka performed piano works that appealed to his African roots, stirring further global attention to the African classical music genre.

The recital titled Resounding African Pianism, featured piano works by composers of African and African descent. Particularly works by J.H. Kwabena Nketia, Joshua Uzoigwe, Christian Onyeji, Oswald Russell, Fred Onovwerosuoke, Innocent Okechukwu, Itunu Oyewale, and Chijioke Ngobili. The audience was enthralled, prompting an encore performance of Schumann's works.

The host music director, Dr. Jessie Downs described the performance as amazing and beautiful. Chijioke Ngobili, one of the composers whose work Nduka performed, and was in attendance, praised Nduka's skill. He mentioned that at the end of Nduka's performance, a lady wondered aloud if he had ten hands. Other members of the audience also commended the performance and approached the pianist for photographs and autographs.

Echezonachukwu Nduka is a specialist in African classical music. His recent musical body of work ‘The African Serenades’ (Centaur Records, 2023) is a collaborative project where he performs select African classical piano music. He is a PhD student in Music Studies: Ethnomusicology at the University of Pennsylvania, and his research interests include African Pianism, African Art Music, Applied Ethnomusicology, Performance Studies, and Postcolonial Literature. He is also the author of two critically acclaimed poetry books: Chrysanthemums for Wide-eyed Ghosts (Griots Lounge, 2018) and Waterman (Griots Lounge, 2020), and has been described by The Guardian as "Artist Extraordinaire".

His recital, Resounding African Pianism makes it the first recital or performance of African Pianism in Buffalo. You can watch the recordings of his performance on stage by visiting the Apotheosis Art House YouTube page. See photos from the concert below.

16/08/2024

Just a day to go to Echezonachukwu Nduka's solo recital at Buffallo New York. Made a reservation yet? What are you waiting for? Do that via the link in comment.

Nduka will be performing works by composers of African descent. It will feature works by J.H. Kwabena Nketia, Joshua Uzoigwe, Christian Onyeji, Oswald Russell, Fred Onovwerosuoke, Innocent Okechukwu, Itunu Oyewale and Chijioke Ngobili. Don't miss out!

You can find more details about the event in this feature by . See comments.

31/07/2024

Nigerian Poet and Pianist, Echezonachukwu Nduka to perform Solo Recital at Buffalo, New York

Echezonachukwu Nduka will be in concert on Saturday, August 17, 2024, from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (EDT) at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo (UUCB), Buffalo, New York, USA. This is part of the UUCB Casual Concert Series - a series of post-COVID concerts showcasing a diverse range of musical styles and sound-based experiences.

Nduka's solo recital is titled Resounding African Pianism. It is a piano recital series dedicated to the celebration and performance of piano works by composers of African and African descent. This recital will feature piano works by J.H. Kwabena Nketia, Joshua Uzoigwe, Christian Onyeji, Oswald Russell, Fred Onovwerosuoke, Innocent Okechukwu, Itunu Oyewale, and Chijioke Ngobili.

You can make a reservation here: https://www.townplanner.com/buffalo/ny/event/arts-and-entertainment/resounding-african-pianism/20240817/740878/

Echezonachukwu Nduka is a Nigerian-born poet and pianist who specializes in the classical piano music of composers from Africa, particularly Nigeria and Ghana. He is the author of two critically acclaimed poetry books: Chrysanthemums for Wide-eyed Ghosts (Griots Lounge, 2018) and Waterman (Griots Lounge, 2020). His recent musical body of work ‘The African Serenades’ (Centaur Records, 2023) is a collaborative project where he performs select African classical piano music. He is a PhD student in Music Studies: Ethnomusicology at the University of Pennsylvania, and his research interests include African Pianism, African Art Music, Applied Ethnomusicology, Performance Studies, and Postcolonial Literature. He has been described by The Guardian as "Artist Extraordinaire".

For interviews, press features and other inquiries, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

See you in concert!

21/06/2024

Hello world,

Nigerian poet and pianist, Echezonachukwu Nduka has five poems in translation in a notable Romanian magazine. Four poems are from his sophomore poetry collection, Waterman (available everywhere) and a new poem from a work in progress.

Read here:
https://www.revistatomis.ro/2024/06/12/echezonachukwu-nduka/.

Echezonachukwu Nduka (n. 1989) este un pianist și scriitor nigerian, autor al volumelor de poezie Chrysanthemums for Wide-eyed Ghosts (2018) și Waterman (2020). Compozitor și etnomuzicolog, a studiat la Nsukka și la Londra și trăiește în Philadelphia.

15/05/2024

On March 29, Echezonachukwu Nduka, poet, pianist and a PHD Student in Music, University of Pennsylvania was the featured scholar at the Center for Africana Studies' "SCHOLAR FOR A DAY" program.

He presented an excerpt of a research in progress titled "Subjective Religiosonic Rendering: Afrobeats and the World of Schemes, Imagery and Significations" which is a unique approach to Afrobeats.

You can now watch the full presentation on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/DIs6YYGgcWM?si=lKkFUiKdVyayHcZh. Attached are photos from the presentation.

08/12/2023

Congratulations to Nigerian poet and pianist, Echezonachukwu Nduka who has been awarded the Booth Ferris Graduate Fellowship in support of his studies and research at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Booth Ferris Graduate Fellowship is hosted by the Booth Ferris Foundation — a Trust and Grant body established in 1957, whose funding interests include Arts and Culture. As a named fellow, Nduka will have his graduate studies co-funded by the foundation, in addition to the Benjamin Franklin Fellowship awarded him by the University of Pennsylvania earlier this year.

Nduka is the author of two critically acclaimed poetry books: Chrysanthemums for Wide-eyed Ghosts (Griots Lounge, 2018) and Waterman (Griots Lounge, 2020). His recent musical body of work ‘The African Serenades’ (Centaur Records, 2023) is a collaborative project where he performs select African classical piano music. He is a PHD student in Music Studies: Ethnomusicology at the University of Pennsylvania, and his research interests include African Pianism, African Art Music, Applied Ethnomusicology, Performance Studies, and Postcolonial Literature. He has been described by The Guardian as "Artist Extraordinaire".

29/11/2023

Uchenna Emelife for curated fifteen poetry collections to find sanctuary in. "Waterman" by Echezonachukwu Nduka is no 2 on the list.

The introduction reads:
"Everything seems to be happening all at once. Order has gone away. Silence and solitude have become rare commodities. There is a general madness, a disorienting noise in today's world and we are slowly losing ourselves to the chaos.

Is it the pangs of mother earth no one seems to be listening to? Or the nonchalance of our corrupt leaders? Is it the stings of a failing economy back home or the ripple effect that is increased crime? Is it the rising toll of avoidable deaths or the eternal grief that has become living?

All of these have enforced motion on us. We are almost always on our feet. There is no stopping to think, to breathe, to live. In this issue of Maroko, Uchenna Emelife recommends fifteen poetry collections from the UK to Africa, that can help you pause… breathe… and reflect on 'Here and Now'..."

Find the listicle in the second issue of Maroko Magazine. Soon to be available in stores near you.

09/11/2023

In the Monday edition of the newspaper, Nkanu Egbe writes a profile feature on Nigerian poet and pianist, Echezonachukwu Nduka. He discusses Nduka's poetry and music. Find it on page 4 of the newspaper.

11/09/2023

"Throughout the album, the listener is drawn into an intense, emotive listening experience. Nduka’s thoughtful and groovy piano play glitters all through; Egbuchiem’s countertenor is affecting, heady, and passionate..."

Chimezie Chika reviews Nduka's debut collaborative album with Andrew Egbuchiem, The African Serenades.

Read on Afrocritik below:

Throughout the album, the listener is drawn into an intense, emotive listening experience. Nduka’s thoughtful and groovy piano play glitters all through; Egbuchiem’s countertenor is affecting, heady, and passionate. By Chimezie Chika Nigerian poet and concert pianist, Echezonachukwu Nduka, has f...