Cellist, singer, and composer Abel Selaocoe is a virtuoso border crosser between musical worlds. He thrills audiences on the classical music stage alongside symphony orchestras and as an ingenious improviser and frontman of his band Bantu Ensemble. At home both in Western classical music and in the musical traditions of South Africa, Selaocoe is able to switch seamlessly between styles and genres, all while combining them with his exuberant musicality. In 2023, he received the Instrumentalist Award from the Royal Philharmonic Society for his concerts, which, according to the award jury ‘are bursting with creativity and send the audience home on a high’.

In March 2026, the DSO presents Abel Selaocoe as Artist in Focus in four concerts on three stages, offering the opportunity to get to know the extraordinary musician in all his facets. At HKW, he performs with his band, the Bantu Ensemble, consisting of Alan Keary (electric bass), Fred Thomas (piano), and Dudù Kouate (percussion).