Mandisi Dyantyis

Mandisi Dyantyis (19*-). Musical Director.

Training

Mandisi travelled to New York to work with Graduate Acting students of New York University’s Tisch School of Acting, as they explored relationships between South African and American theatre methods.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

He was part of the creative team of Isango Portobello, and Associate Director and co-Music Director of Isango Ensemble. He has been co-Music Director and arranger/composer for all Isango's productions since 2006, including The Magic Flute – Impempe Yomlingo, A Christmas Carol– iKrismas Kherol, Venus and Adonis, The Mysteries – Yiimimangaliso, Aesop’s Fables and The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists – Izigwili Ezidlakazelayo.

In 2012, Mandisi was the musical director and composer for Isango's Venus & Adonis which opened the Globe to Globe season at Shakespeare's Globe in London and subsequently returned to the Globe in May 2013.

He arranged and directed the music for the films Unogumbe and Breathe – Umphefumlo.

In 2015 he adapted Bizet’s Carmen and Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Isango’s USA Tour. In 2016 Mandisi composed and conducted the music for A Man of Good Hope which ran at London’s Young Vic, New York’s BAM and London’s Royal Opera House. 2017 saw the creation of Isango Ensemble’s production of SS Mendi - Dancing the Death Drill, based on Fred Khumalo’s book Dancing the Death Drill, for which Mandisi created new music as well as incorporating WWI songs.

In 2019 Mandisi arranged Bach’s St. Matthew Passion for marimbas and created new music for the show.

Mandisi arranged the score for Scott Joplin's Treemonisha to marimbas and the uhadi for Isango's debut of it in France, 2022. During April 2022 Mandisi was invited to Harvard University to work with Harvard students and the Leverett House Jazz Director to create and present indigenous African music at a workshop and panel discussion during the Africa Week events in April 2022, as well as hold a three-day music workshop at the Center for African Studies during the same time.

Albums

Mandisi has released two albums as a solo artist; Somandla in 2018 and Cwaka in 2021.

Awards

Cwaka won the 2022 SAMA for Best African Adult Contemporary Album.

Sources

https://amp-worldwide.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Treemonisha_Info-Deck.pdf

https://www.isangoensemble.africa/the-team

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