by Gerrit Bester
Dr Roland Moses, senior lecturer from the Tshwane University of Technology’s Department of Performing Arts and acclaimed jazz pianist, will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the end of September, where he has been invited to participate in academic and artistic activities at UNIRIO, specifically at the Villa-Lobos Institute within the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (IVL-UNIRIO).
From 27 September to 1 October, Dr Moses will conduct masterclasses, workshops, community engagement initiatives and a concert performance.
The masterclasses will address the musical heritage of South Africa, with a particular focus on its rhythmic and harmonic languages and their intersection with jazz improvisation and performance practice. These sessions will provide UNIRIO students with valuable educational and artistic enrichment while deepening their understanding of cross-cultural approaches to music.
“In addition to my artistic contributions, UNIRIO has expressed particular interest in my research on online learning, community music education and curriculum development in higher education music programmes,” says Dr Moses.
These areas align closely with UNIRIO’s institutional initiatives, and the university believes that dialogue with Dr Moses will be highly beneficial in strengthening its pedagogical models, expanding inclusive access to music education and fostering international academic exchange.
Furthermore, Dr Moses’s concert programme will feature original compositions alongside jazz interpretations of South African repertoire. This performance will extend the masterclasses and workshops while also offering a unique cultural contribution to the wider community.
Prof Dr Marcelo Carneiro de Lima from IVL-UNIRIO expressed confidence that Dr Moses’s participation will contribute substantially to the advancement of the university’s academic programmes, the internationalisation of its teaching and research and the cultural vitality of UNIRIO.
The establishment of potential long-term collaborations, including a Memorandum of Understanding between TUT and UNIRIO, will also be discussed.
Dr Roland Moses