Cellist Abel Selaocoe performs in a wide variety of genres, from classical chamber recitals to collaborations with beatboxers. He is interested in developing recital programs that showcase links between Western and non-Western traditions.

Selaocoe (sa-LAU-chay) was born in Sebokeng, South Africa, an almost all-Black African township not far from Johannesburg, in 1992. His family was musical; singing was common in the house, and one of his brothers played the bassoon. After regular school classes, Selaocoe attended a music school in the township of Soweto that was operated by the African Cultural Organization of South Africa, a project of South African classical music education pioneer Michael Masoté. Attracted to the cello because of its size, Masoté cooled in his enthusiasm when he had to carry the instrument nine miles to board a commuter train to Soweto. In the beginning, he had to practice with a broomstick standing in for a cello bow, but he persisted, and his unusual talent got noticed. Selaocoe studied with Masoté, who gave him a proper cello, and when he was 13, he earned a scholarship to Johannesburg's St. John's College, a prestigious boarding school where he was able to undertake serious studies of the instrument. At 18, he enrolled at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, English, where he completed an International Artist Diploma in 2018.

By that time, Selaocoe was already a professional performer, having formed the trio Chesaba; that group specialized in music from Africa, including Selaocoe's own works. He has collaborated with a large variety of musicians, including percussionist-composer Bernhard Schimpelsberger, kora player Seckou Keita, and the Manchester Collective, with which he organized a multi-genre program called "Sirocco" that was widely heard in person and online during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a classical recitalist, Selaocoe has appeared at such major British venues as Cadogan Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, and Bridgewater Hall, and he made his debut at the BBC Proms in 2021. He has also appeared at the Kings Place, Norfolk & Norwich, and Ryedale Festivals, and he has been a soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Britten Sinfonia. His concerts often include improvisation, singing, and body percussion in addition to conventional cello playing. Selaocoe was signed to the Warner Classics label and released his debut album, Where Is Home (Hae Ke Kae), in 2022. ~ James Manheim, Rovi