South African Jazz Legend Mkhize Weaves Isicathamiya and Classical Music Into Theatre
Renowned South African pianist and composer Themba Mkhize is staging Ingoma-busuku (Nightsong), a musical theatre work fusing traditional isicathamiya choral singing with Western classical music, at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria.
Published in the Sowetan, the story profiles legendary South African jazz pianist and composer Themba Mkhize, who is turning his attention to theatre with a new production he is directing. Ingoma-busuku / Nightsong runs at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria until 1 November 2026, fusing isicathamiya — the a cappella choral tradition made internationally famous by Ladysmith Black Mambazo — with Western classical music to explore themes of ancestry, identity and belonging. Mkhize's Master's research examined whether isicathamiya could be transcribed and notated, focusing on the Mtubatuba Brothers. He describes the marginalisation of traditional music on South African radio as "cultural colonialism" and sees the production partly as a corrective. Assembling the cast posed considerable challenges: finding a classical pianist who could also act and sing, and a performer capable of both isicathamiya and classical singing, proved extremely difficult. Mkhize stresses that the show is especially important for young South Africans, offering them a way to connect with their own heritage through music and storytelling. He also recently performed at the Joy of Jazz alongside his son Afrika.
