Draft:Mandisi Dyantyis

Mandisi Dyantyis (born 14 October 1983) is a South African composer, arranger and producer who unites the Jazz idiom with Western Classical and African indigenous music.

Born and raised in Gqeberha, South Africa, Mandisi grew up singing in church and began playing the trumpet at age 8. He attended the University of Cape Town, where he joined the institution’s Big Band. Mandisi emerged from the University of Cape Town with a BMus Honors Degree in Jazz Studies in 2005, and in 2024, earned his Masters degree with distinction. He has performed with some of South Africa’s top musicians, including Jimmy Dludlu, the Abdullah Ibrahim Big Band, Robbie Jansen, Max Vidima and Moreira Chonguiça.

Career
Mandisi was nominated for a NAACP Award (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, Los Angeles) for Best Musical Director as well as Artist in Residence at the New York University Drama School in 2010. In 2022, Mandisi was once again Artist in Residence. He collaborated with Nelson Makamo to lecture music and art at Harvard University in Boston. Mandisi has toured the world almost 20 years with the Isango Ensemble Theatre Company, for which he is an associate director and musical director.

He has released two albums. 'Somandla' in 2018, and his sophomore project, 'Cwaka'. 'Cwaka', also won the 2022 South African Music Award (SAMA) for Best Adult Contemporary Album.

In 2022, Mandisi was featured as one of six of the South African artists on the Multichoice Origins campaign which was televised and featured at the Johannesburg Festival. He has lectured and curated stories with visual artist Nelson Makamo at Harvard University in Boston. In 2023, Mandisi was commissioned to write music for the documentary about the South African rugby captain, “Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story.” In December 2023, he covered GQ magazine South Africa and in January 2024, covered Fifty Four mag, styled and created directed by Asanda Sizani. He has been featured in several publications, namely, the UK travel and lifestyle magazine, Suitcase the Mail & Guardian Friday and Runner's World. He is a passionate runner, who has successfully completed races such as the Two Oceans Marathon and the Comrades Marathon.

In 2021, Mandisi Dyantyis was selected by the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz as the only South African act to perform on International Jazz Day that was streamed to millions around the world. In April 2024, he performed at the esteemed Cape Town International Jazz Festival/ as one of the stellar musical acts. Mandisi Dyantyis is based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Discography
Cwaka (2021)

Somandla (2018)