For Abel Selaocoe, tradition is something to be both revered and dismantled. His Four Spirits is, on the face of it, a concerto for cello, voice and percussion. There are soloists and an orchestra. There are four movements. But that is where any resemblance to the ‘Classical’ concerto ends. Instead of individualistic struggle and blatant virtuosity, Four Spirits is about conversation: between the past and present, between the audience and performer, and between the performers themselves.

Drawing on his experiences of growing up in Sebokeng, South Africa, Selaocoe designates to each movement a central aspect of life in the township: honouring ancestors, children, faith and community. He blends song, South African overtone singing (umngqokolo) and body percussion with elements of classical cello performance and improvisation, placing himself in the role of storyteller – ‘a leader communicating with the community’. All the while, percussionist Bernhard Schimpelsberger (also soloist for the world premiere earlier this year in Glasgow) offers a counterpoint to Selaocoe’s invocations.

The works begins by giving thanks to traditional healers – for ‘bridging the gap between the modern world and the advice of our ancestors’. Hypnotic cello improvisations and tender vocal melodies, sung in Southern Sotho and Zulu, interact in Selaocoe’s unique style, all united by a ferocious appetite for rhythm. The second movement nods to the importance of children, uncomplicated truth-tellers whose language ‘is full of wisdom, constantly teaching humans about instinct and humour as integral parts of the experience’

The music drifts into serene meditation for the third movement, the focus on prayer as a universal – rather than religious – experience, and the need for faith in the face of life’s uncertainties. But, as with all Selaocoe’s music, we are never far from jubilation. As the finale erupts, Selaocoe invites the audience to join the celebration, directing them in a benediction to community and solidarity. This movement gets to the heart of Selaocoe’s musical vision: the creation of ‘an empowered and inspiring space of unity and purpose’.

Abel Selaocoe

Aged just 31, Abel Selaocoe, the South African composer, vocalist and cellist, has already collaborated with some of the UK’s top ensembles and soloists. He has curated programmes for Kings Place and the Aldeburgh Festival, played artist residencies with the BBC Singers, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (Minnesota) and Southbank Centre, and performed in venues from Seattle to Helsinki. His synthesis of Western Classical and African styles – and infectious, beaming stage presence – has proven both innovative and hugely popular, and his rapid rise shows no sign of slowing.

Selaocoe was born in Sebokeng, a township outside Johannesburg. He began playing the cello aged 11 as part of an outreach programme for young musicians. Supported by a network of classical-loving friends, he won a scholarship to one of the most prestigious schools in South Africa and was subsequently accepted onto the Britten Pears Young Artist programme and into Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music. It was here, while studying for his master’s degree, that Selaocoe began to rediscover improvisation and the music of his homeland. He co-founded Kabantu, a folk fusion quintet, and Chesaba, a trio devoted to the multilayered textures of South African music.

Through performances with Chesaba, Selaocoe perfected the style that found its apogee in last year’s album Where is Home (Hae Ke Kae), a combination of his own works, inspired by South African and Tanzanian musical traditions, and embellished Baroque pieces by J S Bach and Giovanni Benedetto Platti. Here the classical discipline of Selaocoe’s conservatoire training is enriched with performance techniques from the African continent. Meanwhile, guest features with such luminaries as cellist Yo-Yo Ma and lutist Elizabeth Kenny evince his skill as a collaborator.

At the heart of Selaocoe’s output, whether live or recorded, is a fascination with rhythm, repetition and improvisation. He has said his musical goal is to bring audiences closer to the shared, viscerally human origins of contemporary classical music. In this, he has few equals.

Read the full programme note and profile on the London Symphony Orchestra website