Role

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Composer  

Birth

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November 14, 1977 in Cape Town, South Africa

 

Derek Gripper is a South African classical guitarist and composer who has gained international recognition for his unique approach to playing the kora, a West African harp-lute. Born in Cape Town in 1977, Gripper grew up in a family of musicians and began playing the guitar at a young age. He was drawn to classical music and studied at the University of Cape Town, where he earned a degree in classical guitar performance. After completing his studies, Gripper began to explore other musical traditions, including African music. He was particularly drawn to the kora, a 21-stringed instrument that is central to the music of the Mandinka people of West Africa. Gripper was fascinated by the complex rhythms and melodies of the kora, and he began to experiment with adapting its music for the guitar. Gripper's approach to playing the kora on the guitar is unique and innovative. He uses a technique called "transcription," in which he listens to recordings of kora music and transcribes the notes and rhythms onto the guitar. Gripper then adapts the music to the guitar, using a combination of fingerpicking and strumming techniques to create a sound that is both faithful to the original kora music and uniquely his own. Gripper's first album, "New Cape Records," was released in 2002 and featured his own compositions for solo guitar. The album received critical acclaim and established Gripper as a rising star in the classical music world. He went on to release several more albums, including "One Night on Earth: Music from the Strings of Mali" (2012), which featured his adaptations of traditional Malian music for the guitar. In 2012, Gripper was invited to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London as part of the BBC Proms, one of the world's most prestigious classical music festivals. His performance was a critical and commercial success, and he was hailed as a "guitar genius" by The Guardian newspaper. Since then, Gripper has continued to perform and record extensively, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with other musicians. He has toured throughout Europe, Africa, and North America, and has performed at major festivals such as the Edinburgh International Festival and the WOMAD Festival. In addition to his work as a performer, Gripper is also a composer and educator. He has written music for film and television, and has taught guitar and composition at the University of Cape Town and other institutions. Gripper's innovative approach to playing the kora on the guitar has earned him numerous awards and accolades. In 2012, he was awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Music, one of South Africa's most prestigious arts awards. He has also been nominated for several South African Music Awards, and his albums have been featured on numerous "best of" lists. Despite his success, Gripper remains committed to exploring new musical traditions and pushing the boundaries of classical guitar. He continues to collaborate with musicians from around the world, and his music is a testament to the power of cross-cultural exchange and innovation.

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