How pre-colonial sounds inform modern music

Dr. Lee Watkins

Lee poses fascinating questions in this compelling talk about what we might learn by excavating pre-colonial sounds: Can we draw parallels between the history of sound and palaeontology? What do pre-colonial cultural expressions tell us about the lives of our ancestors – did they know how to have a good time? To what extent have their sound artefacts impacted the shapes and forms of contemporary music and performance?

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Lee Watkins is the Director of the International Library of African Music, a research institute established in 1954 and based at Rhodes University. His interests vary from music and intangible heritage, to music relating to politics and marginality. He is committed to dissolving the borders between music sub-disciplines and the community at large and increasing exposure to music cultures hitherto unknown to audiences.  Lee holds a BA (Hons), cum laude, MA cum laude (UKZN), Ph.D. (University of Hong Kong), HDE (University of the Western Cape).

Web: ru.ac.za/ilam