Yogin Sullaphen

Sullaphen began his career as a guitar teacher at a private school in Johannesburg before transitioning to freelance work in music, primarily focusing on composition and production. His work in music composition has earned him three nominations for Naledi Theatre Awards. He was nominated in the "best original score" category for the production "Jungfrau" in 2019,^[3] and for "best sound design/soundscape" for "Strange Land" in 2020, both directed by award-winning South African theatre director Jade Bowers.^[4][5] In 2026, Sullaphen was nominated for a Naledi Theatre Award in the “best original score/soundscape” category for the theatre production “Gabo Legwala”, a work created in collaboration with award-winning poet Modise Sekgothe and vocalist Phumla Siyobi.^[6]

Sullaphen has worked extensively with acclaimed South African director and choreographer Robyn Orlin on stage productions that have been performed internationally. Between 2012 and 2017, his composition for Orlin's "Beauty remained for just a moment…" toured extensively in France and throughout Europe.^[7] Since 2021, Sullaphen – as part of the live-looping band uKhoiKhoi – has been touring Europe, Asia and the United States of America with Orlin’s stage production titled “We wear our wheels with pride…”.^{[8][9][10][11]} In 2024, this production was performed for the first time in South Africa at the JOMBA! Dance Festival where Orlin was honoured as the 2024 JOMBA! Legacy Artist.^[12] Since mid-2024, uKhoiKhoi has also performed throughout Europe with “How in salts desert is it possible to blossom...”, another stage production by Orlin.^[13][14][15]

Sullaphen has also composed for and performed internationally with world-renowned South African choreographer Kieron Jina^[16] and, more recently, with multi-award-winning Gregory Maqoma.^[17] Sullaphen formed part of the musical cast that composed and performed the music for Maqoma’s work, "Genesis - The Beginning and End of Time", which premiered at the 2025 Weimar Arts Festival in Germany,^[18] before it was staged in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, in early 2026.^[19]

In another collaboration, Sullaphen worked with Modise Sekgothe, winner of the 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Poetry,^[20] to create a stage production titled “Gabo Legwala”, that was performed in South Africa at the 2025 National Arts Festival in Makhanda,^[21] followed by performances at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg.^[22][23]

In 2019, Sullaphen, along with vocalist and performing artist Anelisa "Annalyzer" Stuurman, founded the live-looping band uKhoiKhoi. This duo blends indigenous and electronic music to honour their ancestors and address societal injustices.^[24] uKhoiKhoi released a self-titled 3-track EP in 2020 and their second EP "Nongqawuse" was released in 2022.^[25] In addition to the international tours with Robyn Orlin's productions, uKhoiKhoi has performed at Sauti za Busara, an African music festival held annually in Zanzibar, Tanzania;^[26] the 2025 Ruhrtriennale, a music and arts festival in Germany;^[27] as well as at music festivals and events across South Africa, such as Mieliepop^[28] and Fête de la Musique.^[29]