Namibian Soundscapes
Music of the People and the Land
by
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NAMIBIAN SOUNDSCAPES
In 2008-2009, Myrna Capp lectured and performed at the University of Namibia, and did research on Namibian music.
She interviewed seven Namibian musicians, including legendary Jackson Kaueua, Papa Ndasuunje Shikongeni and Dr. Minette Mans, among others. Three themes which emerged were preserving traditional Namibian musical ideas, raising global awareness of the richness of Namibian music, and expressing creativity in Namibian music as in improvisation.
Photographer, Grayson Capp, also lectured at the University of Namibia, in Biochemistry. His collaboration with Myrna on this book, resulted in the striking color photographic images of both the musicians, and the stunning landscape of Namibia
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About the Book
The interviews in this book tell the musician’s fascinating stories of growing up in rural and urban Namibia. They capture the extreme difficulties, and the rewards of carving out musical careers in a beautiful, desert-like country of immense diversity. The musicians lived with the reality of apartheid and the intense struggle for Namibian independence. They pursued their passion for music through listening, performing, teaching and studying music. The interviews included Jackson Kaujeua, “Namibian music legend,” and Minette Mans, internationally known music educator and researcher. The stories ranged from music’s role in the independence struggle, to village ritual music and dance, to international travel to perform and teach, to singing in church choirs. Preserving traditional Namibian music was a theme throughout the interviews.
About the Author
MYRNA CAPP holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, and is Assistant Professor of music at Seattle Pacific University where she teaches piano and piano pedagogy. Active in presenting research on African music at national and international conferences, Dr. Capp has also lectured in music, performed and done research in Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia. She is author of the book, “Keeping the Embers Alive: Musicians of Zimbabwe” (Africa World Press, 2008) GRAYSON CAPP holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Oregon Health Science University in Portland, and has done post-doctoral research at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina. As a Professor of Biochemistry, he has lectured in the States, South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Grayson has a passion for photog¬raphy and travel. Myrna and Grayson were both volunteers for IFESH (The International Foundation for Education and Self-Help) at the University of Namibia in Windhoek. They are currently based in Seattle.