African Composers Edition (ACE)

Bio

Founded in 2012 by musicologist Christine Lucia, African Composers Edition (ACE) is an online publication imprint for sheet music of African composers previously not extensively published in staff notation. Lucia is a professor in the department of music at the University of Stellenbosch in Western Cape South Africa. Her initial aim in establishing this imprint was to produce an edition of works by Sotho composer Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa (1908-1982).

With research funding from the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO,) Lucia began researching on music, the sources and the composer. She found 130 works already published in tonic solfa notation and a few others in manuscript. In 2009, with an award from the Bellagio Rockefeller Foundation, Dr Lucia began transcribing these scores into staff notation. She also worked with a Sesotho linguist, Dr Mantoa Rose Smouse, to begin translating the song lyrics of the scores. Between 2010 and 2012, she made several trips to Lesotho and found more scores bringing the total to 185.

Her current research includes the establishment of the online edition called the “African Music Edition Online” and is sponsored by the University of Stellenbosch. The scores now available on the website are by Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa. The ACE Mohapeloa Catalogue comprises 145 works, each one existing in two staff notation versions (one with and one without tonic solfa notation). The scores are available as pdf files, each consisting of a cover page, publication and copyright details, historical notes, translation of texts and vocal score in staff notation. All scores have an International Standard Music Number (ISMN).

ZAJohannesburg, South Africa
In operation since: 
2012

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African Composers Edition (ACE)
Profile added by Ano Shumba on 02 Sep 2015
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