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. “She was both a poet and a South African. She was both an Afrikaner and an African. She was both an artist and a human being. In the midst of despair, she celebrated hope. Confronted by death, she asserted the beauty of life.” - Nelson Mandela, May 1994

Nicky Schrire is a versatile and inventive vocalist and composer whose work has earned her comparisons to artists like Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, and Esperanza Spalding. She has performed in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, London, Dublin and South Africa, with musicians ranging from Arno Carstens, Sibongile Khumalo, and Card On Spokes, to Grammy-nominated pianists Gerald Clayton and Gil Goldstein.Her work with cellist Ariella Caira (founding member of Sterling EQ, Alice Phoebe Lou, Jeremy Loops) has seen the duo collaborate with composer Matthijs van Dijk, Prime Circle drummer Kevin Gibson, Hatchetman’s Jono Tait, and double-bill with Beatenberg frontman Matthew Field. The two recorded and released the EP "An Education" on London label Wild Sound Recordings in 2015, followed by performances at the Cape Town Folk and Acoustic Music Festival, and the Milk & Honey Festival. Most recently, Schrire teamed up with producer Vincente Espi (known for his work in duo ANIMA!) to release the catchy pop single, “Mend Our Love”.
"Wonderful....an acute eye for observation of the small details." — Alex Gallagher, Folk Radio (UK) 

“A remarkable talent... Her voice is a bell, a curve of pliant sound, a personality, a vessel for great songs.” — PopMatters (USA)

“While [Schrire’s] esthetic may be free and unbounded, her music is anything but casual.” — Ottawa Citizen (Canada)

“A number of the more and most intelligent female vocalists come to mind-Mia Doi Todd, Tori Amos, Kimiko Itoh, Lorraine Feather, Norma Winstone, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, etc. - in Schrire's work.” — FAME (USA)

Audience Responses

Good vocalist and readings. Awesome instrumentation.

Good vocalist and readings. Awesome instrumentation.

An excellent and deeply moving experience. The musical score as well as the delivery evoked the landscape of Jonkers oeuvre. The read poetry although a little soft set the tone and authenticity of the poets life, almost as Ingrid had spoken . Nicky s voice and her rendition of Schimke s translations was hauntingly beautiful. It all left lingering sounds of yearning love. An outstanding and deeply memorable experience.

Really liked the project and the initiative shown in putting it together - very positive on that score. The presentation as such, however, just lacked an edge, that bit of charisma to make it hit home in a more memorable way. Again though - credit to the concept.

Poignant, melodic - really captivating . And original. We were spellbound . Great evening, great venue

Loved it!

Loved it, it went by so quickly! Really appreciated the paper text and translations, and the music was really lovely.

Brilliant! You have to extend its run because there are lots of people who would love to see it and I will personally encourage many people to come and see it. Such a clever way of hearing poetry. I am bilingual and loved being able to understand the poem in both languages. Poems are an efficient use of language which often make them difficult to grasp so having them repeated is really nice and I loved the English translations and the way the words were put into song. I love string music so the whole package and concept played to my taste.

Sound volume for the Afrikaans narrator was too low for us over 60s. Otherwise just brilliant!!

Loved it!

it was lovely. i could have stayed and listened for hours.

Good vocalist and readings. Awesome instrumentation.

unique and haunting sounds, beautifully presented. Sometimes the vocals were overpowered by the string quartet though.

Very poignant and moving performance, especially by Nicky Schrire.

A really polished performance. Great music. So refreshing to see something that breaks out of the mainstream. Saw the Thursday performance; the sound level of the Afrikaans narration was too low. Apparently it was better on Friday.

Very moving, well orchestrated.

Poignant, melodic - really captivating . And original. We were spellbound . Great evening, great venue