Dear Members,
There are now just less than four weeks remaining before the SASRIM Annual Congress 2017 kicks off in Potchefstroom! The conference programme is out, and registration is open. As always the conference programme is packed full of papers, demonstrations, panel sessions and performances, covering a wide range of topics. I much look forward to seeing you there! We are thrilled to host Dr Sylvia Nannyonga-Tamusuza as our keynote speaker this year. We are also presenting two music meetings in addition to the regular conference programme. From 28 August to 31 August, composers Clare Loveday, Andile Khumalo and Hannes Taljaard will be working with developing composers on new works, four of which will be performed by the ensemble in residence consisting of Magda de Vries (marimba), Elmarie van der Vyfer (viola), Morne van Heerden (clarinet) and Olivier Barrier (oboe). The works that have been pre-selected are by Kirsten Adams, Kristi Boonzaaier, Arthur Feder and Jaco Meyer, and these will be performed on the first morning of the conference, 31 August at 10:45. An African Music Meeting will run concurrently with the Sasrim congress, with workshops and performances by Cara Stacey (SA/Swaziland), Mpho Molikeng (SA/Lesotho), Matchume Zango (Mozambique) and Lungiswa Plaatjies (South Africa). Mpho Molikeng’s sound installation Linong will also be exhibited during the first day of the conference. Another fun addition to the programme is well-known music journalist and writer Charles Leonard – or as he will be known at this conference, DJ Charles. In his Thursday evening listening session, ‘DJ Charles Digs Africa’, he will be treating us to highlights from his extensive African music collection in a relaxed setting.
I am happy to report that work on the next double volume of SAMUS is well underway, and this volume should be available before the end of the year. In spite of the many challenges faced by the SAMUS editors over the last two years, we are confident that this edition of SAMUS will be published in time to bring us up to date once again. As always, members can look forward to challenging and boundary-shifting articles, reviews and opinion pieces in this volume.
Sasrim’s new website has been up-and-running for some time, and we are excited to introduce some new features, among them an electronic payment system and a new membership portal (the latter will be fully implemented soon). You can now access the conference website, which includes the programme, registration form, accommodation and travel information and other details, via www.sasrim.ac.za.
All members are warmly invited to Sasrim’s 2017 Annual General Meeting, to be held on 2 September at 12:15 (venue to be confirmed). The agenda for this meeting and the 2016 minutes will be distributed soon. During the AGM, we will ask members to vote on whether or not to accept the Code of Conduct, developed by the current Exco as part of our mandate received in 2015. This document will be forwarded to members together with the agenda for the 2017 AGM.
Looking forward to seeing you all soonest!
Best,
Mareli
Dr Mareli Stolp
SASRIM Chair
E-mail: chair@sasrim.ac.za