Music and Contemporary Art Workshop
For one of the key public events surrounding the UCCA exhibition 'William Kentridge: Notes Towards a Model Opera', renowned South African composer Philip Miller will host a three-day series of musical workshops, inviting the public to view the rehearsals for the Chinese debut of Miller's new composition, Pulling Numbers. Pulling Numbers is inspired by Dahuahui (also known as Jiuhuahui), a gambling game from China's Chaoshan region. Players choose from 36 numbers, each with its own significance that determines the victor. In the nineteenth century, Chinese immigrants brought the game to South Africa, where it has become a popular folk pastime. Miller's piece brings Dahuahui back to China as an audiovisual performance, connecting the two countries in a manner that echoes Kentridge's recent works concerning China. Philip Miller is a longtime collaborator of William Kentridge, composing the music for The Refusal of Time, Black Box/Chambre Noire, and other pieces. His compositions combine classical and contemporary genres with elements from South African folk music. The China debut of Pulling Numbers is performed by South African singer Ann Masina along with several Chinese musicians.