Mizike

This multi-ethnic choir was started in 2007 by Anita Daulne.  Her music is an exciting blend of urban and ethnic influences – unusual and uplifting, using lots of polyphony, rhythm, harmony and movement. Anita is very well known around Europe as an ex member of Zap Mama (see www.zapmama.be) and urban-ethnic voice teacher. Her techniques and singing styles are learnt from her travels around Africa and her childhood in the Congo.

The choir was launched in 2007 with a set of workshops across the city. The singers are a very international mix of people from four continents and a wide range of cultural backgrounds, reflecting Oxford’s cosmopolitan character. They have performed many times within festivals, at charity and university events and promoted their own concerts.

The choir meets weekly at the Asian Cultural Centre in East Oxford. In December 2011 the choir very sadly said farewell to Anita, who is moving on to concentrate on her career elsewhere in Europe. The choir continues in her spirit and with her inspiration and we will be working with other teachers and some new repertoire in 2012.

Arts Council England and Pegasus Theatre generously helped the choir to launch in 2007 and since then they have received grants from Oxford City Council (East Area Parliament), the Big Lottery: Awards for All and in 2010 the  Oxfordshire Community Foundation to whom we are immensely grateful.

The Afropean Choir is a project initiated and produced by Oxford Contemporary Music as part of its community outreach programme.