South Africa: Safari Photos

This gallery contains 11 photos.

I look somewhere around a billion photos during my stay in South Africa—let me share a collection of my 10 favorite nature shots. Enjoy! * * * [For my complete list of blogposts and articles following the Minnesota Orchestra/Minnesota Chorale … Continue reading →

South Africa: Magic in Soweto

My recap of our electric concert in Soweto is up over at MinnPost. Click here to read why this concert was so remarkable.

For me, this was one of the most important performances of my life, and to my mind encapsulates the spirit this remarkable tour.

[For my complete list of blogposts and articles following the Minnesota Orchestra/Minnesota Chorale on their historic South Africa tour, click here.]

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South Africa Update: A True Exchange

Hi all, after a whirlwind of incredible tour performances, I’m getting ready to head out on Safari (it’s currently a bleary-eyed 6:30 AM local time). So blogging is on hold for a wee bit. But in the meantime, may I direct you to MinnPost to read my story on how the Minnesota Orchestra / Minnesota Chorale engagement activities are having a profound effect on folks here… as well as us?  Read the story here.

More soon!

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South Africa Update: Or, We Have to Go On After… THAT?!?

First, apologies for not writing on my blog since arriving in South Africa. The reasons are both complicated and quite simple… it’s been an endless succession of crazy, wonderful days crammed full of events and activities that change, re-change, and re-re-change more than once per day.  But in the end, the biggest reason for not writing has been my determination to… well, actually experience my experiences, and do to so fully and unabashedly, without detaching from them in order to chronicle them.

But, let me give you a quick peek behind the curtain.

South Africa: A Reading List

Back in 2015 when I traveled with the Minnesota Orchestra on its historic tour to Cuba, many readers expressed an interest in me putting together a Cuban-related reading list.  I was happy to do so—having taught Latin American history for many years, it was easy to update the reading list I used to inflict on my students.

Some have wondered if I’m putting together a similar list for South Africa, as a set up for the tour to South Africa.  I was hesitant to do so… South African history is not a particular area of expertise.  In fact, since learning I’m going on this tour (both as a performer and a member of the media), I’ve been working overtime to dive into the country’s history, culture, politics and natural history.  But this gave me an idea for a new post—sharing some recommendations from the South African reading list I essentially assigned to myself.

I don’t pretend the following list is comprehensive, exhaustive, or the final word on South Africa… but it does provide a list of books I found particularly interesting and/or useful, and came highly recommended to me.

If the Minnesota Orchestra/Minnesota Chorale tour has captured your attention, and sparked an interest in learning more about South Africa, read on!