Manchester Collective and Abel Selaocoe: Sirocco

★★★★★“A total reset for the mind and heart” The Times

Joy, warmth and irrepressible energy.

Sirocco is a great storm of music from across the world, played with heart and virtuosity. Earning standing ovations from New York to Frankfurt, its infectious spirit will have you up on your feet and singing along.

Expect the unexpected as original South African folk rubs shoulders with music from the Western canon. Classical strings dance to the beat of African drums and electric bass guitar. Outrageous solos await. Sirocco is a love letter to music and camaraderie, crafted by Manchester Collective with singular cellist and storyteller Abel Selaocoe over the years. Each performance is different from the last.

Join Manchester Collective to celebrate the unifying power of music in what may be Sirocco’s boldest tour yet.

South African cellist Abel Selaocoe has established himself as a leading voice of reimagining classical music. Redefining the parameters of the cello, he moves seamlessly across a plethora of genres and styles, from collaborations with world and jazz musicians, to concertos and solo performances. Selaocoe combines virtuosic performance with improvisation, singing and body percussion, and is devoted to composing works and curating programmes that highlight the links between Western and non-Western musical traditions, broadening the horizons of classical music to reach a more diverse audience. In 2023 he was awarded the RPS Instrumentalist Award for his performances and collaborations which “blaze with creation, sending
audiences home on a high”.