The Times Do Not Permit:The Musical Life of Michael Mosoeu Moerane
Christine Elizabeth Lucia (born 27 June 1947) is a South African musicologist,editor,and educator whose work has focused on African art music and music education in South Africa. Trained initially as a concert pianist and Schumann scholar,she later edited works by African choral composers and was involved in curriculum development in South African higher education. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of the African Composers Editiom,a digital platform presenting critical editions of works by African composers.[1]
Lucia was born in London and grew up in a musically active household. She studied piano and viola from a young age and performed with the Ealing Youth Orchestra.[2] She attended Ealing Girls' Grammar School and later studied music at Oxford University,earning a BA in music in 1968.[3] She completed a PGCE at Durham University in 1969,and earned a Performer's Licentiate (LRAM) in piano from the Royal Academy of Music in 1971. After moving to South Africa,she earned a PhD in Musicology from Rhodes University in 1978,with a dissertation on the chamber music of Robert Schumann.[4]
Migration to South Africa and early career
Lucia emigrated to South Africa in 1974. Initially based in Makhanda,she taught music at local schools and lectured part-time at Rhodes University,while maintaining an active performance career.[1] Her early engagement with African music began through Andrew Tracey and the International Library of African Music (ILAM),which led her to explore ethnomusicology and intercultural performance practice.[5]
Academic career
Lucia held academic posts at several South African universities. From 1983 to 1984,she lectured at the University of Durban-Westville (UDW),then joined the University of Natal,where she taught music theory and supported curricular expansion to include jazz and African music. She returned to UDW as Head of department in 1989,leading a radical transformation that included open-access admissions,foundation programs,and a multicultural reimagining of the BMus degree.
In 1997,she became professor and head of the Music Department at Rhodes University,focusing on African music,composition,and integration with ILAM. From 2002 to 2007,she held the chair of music at the University of the Witwatersrand,where she continued her reform work. Following retirement,Lucia remained active as a visiting professor,and later as an honorary professor at Stellenbosch University,affiliated with the Africa Open Institute.
Research and editorial work
Lucia's research initially centered on 19th-century European music,particularly Schumann. Her focus shifted to African art music,choral traditions,and decolonial musicology. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of African Composers Edition,[6] a digital platform for critical editions of African composers' works.
Her major editorial projects include:
The J.P. Mohapeloa Critical Edition (2015–2017)
The Michael Mosoeu Moerane Scholarly Edition (2020)
Lucia advocates for open-access music education and the transformation of curricula to reflect South Africa's cultural diversity.[9] At UDW,she developed foundation programs for underprepared students and introduced multicultural courses in theory,performance,and music history. Her approach emphasized ensemble learning,academic development,and social responsiveness. She also played a key role in founding the Southern African Music Educators' Society (SAMES)[10] and was active in national debates on curriculum and transformation.[11]
Publications
Selected books and editions
Lucia,Christine (ed.). The World of South African Music:A Reader. Cambridge Scholars Press,2005.
———. Music Notation:A South African Guide. UNISA Press,2011.
———. The Times Do Not Permit:The Musical Life of Michael Mosoeu Moerane. Wits University Press,2024.
———(ed.). The J.P. Mohapeloa Critical Edition in Six Volumes. African Composers Edition,2015–2017.
———(ed.). Michael Mosoeu Moerane Scholarly Edition in Four Volumes. African Composers Edition,2020.
———(ed.). The Surendran Reddy Performing Edition. African Composers Edition,2022.
Lucia,Christine and Sandler,Felicity (eds.). The Collected Works of Ephraim Amu,Vol. 1:SATB Works,1926–1933. African Composers Edition,2024.
Awards and recognition
In 2018,Lucia received the **NIHSS Award for Best Digital Humanities Project for Community Engagement** for her Mohapeloa Edition. She has held fellowships at St John's College,Cambridge and the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center. In recognition of her scholarly achievements,she has held honorary or visiting positions at the University of the Witwatersrand and Stellenbosch University.
Legacy and influence
Lucia is known for her contributions to African music scholarship,curriculum development,and editorial practice. Her editions have served performers and researchers,and her work has reshaped music education across South African universities. Many of her postgraduate students have gone on to prominent academic and artistic careers,and her influence continues through the African Composers Edition and the Africa Open Institute.
↑ Christine Lucia, Mapping the field: a preliminary survey of South African composition and performance as research, SAMUS: South African Journal of Musicology, 25(1), 2005, 83-108.
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