Viwe Mkizwana

Viwe Mkizwana, a South African bassist and composer, an award-winning bassist, composer, arranger and bandleader, currently a PhD candidate, holding a National Diploma in Jazz and Popular Music (TUT), a BMus Honours, and a Master of Music with distinction from the University of Pretoria. He has released three albums - African Skies (2016), Tributes (2019), and Black Child (2025) - and his work has been featured internationally, including collaborations with the MIAGI Orchestra, the Young Euro Classic Festival in Berlin, the Metropole Orchestra for the BBC Proms, and performances at major venues such as the Concertgebouw, Elbphilharmonie and Berlin Konzerthaus. His compositions have been broadcast on BBC Radio, featured in international recordings and film, and commissioned for leading artists and institutions. A long-standing member and coordinator of the MIAGI Orchestra, Mkizwana has received multiple awards, including SAMA nominations, a Mzantsi Jazz Award, and two Naledi Theatre Awards. He continues to develop large-scale orchestral works, including Fidyoli ye Afrika, the first African violin concerto, and Colours of the Double Bass (Double Bass concerto).