A much-loved figure in South African poetry, Ingrid Jonker’s body of work, though small, continues to speak volumes decades after her death. She delicately and beautifully captured lust, love, heartbreak, anger and the fabric of everyday life in her poems. Composer and vocalist Nicky Schrire sets André Brink and Antjie Krog's English translations of a selection of Jonker’s works to music in a world that blends folk, cinematic and art song genres. The songs are arranged for voice and string quartet, and actress Jenna Dunster delivers the poems in Afrikaans. 

Voice - Nicky Schrire
Readings - Alicia McCormick
Violin I – Nicole d’Oliveira
Violin II – Matthijs van Dijk
Viola – Annemi Phillips
Cello - Ariella Caira

Music composed & arranged by Nicky Schrire
English translations by André Brink & Antjie Krog (as compiled in “Black Butterflies”)
Borrowed text from letters between Brink & Jonker translated by Karin Schimke & Leon de Kock 
(as published in “Flame in the Snow”)

Bitter - Berry Daybreak

Multi-genre composer, arranger and vocalist.

Nicola Schrire