Unlike many of his contemporaries, Newcater abstained from engaging directly with South African cultural or musical identity, focusing on the abstract possibilities of serialism.

[2] Seeking theoretical and compositional guidance, Newcater contacted Erik Chisholm, which led to correspondence-based tuition with composer Arnold van Wyk from 1955 to 1957.

[2] During this period, he composed several major works, including the Second Symphony, created for the Republic Festival of 1966, Notturno for orchestra, and Variations de Timbres.

Raka was a pioneering work in South African modernist music, demonstrating the expressive potential of serialism within a narrative context.

It explores symmetry and invariance, showcasing rigorous serialist structures while providing room for expressive flexibility through row manipulation and inversion.

According to musicologist Mareli Stolp, these pieces continue to explore twelve-tone techniques while remaining idiomatic for the piano, demonstrating Newcater's adaptability and ability to tailor serialist methods for performance.

His ballet Raka, premiered in 1967, was a notable event in South African music history, demonstrating the power of serialism in a dramatic setting.

His strict serialist approach contrasted with the cultural landscape, which often favored nationalist or Africanist styles incorporating indigenous elements.

However, his dedication to abstract serialism has since been revisited and appreciated for its technical sophistication and unique contribution to South African art music.

His Raka demonstrated how serialism could address complex narratives, challenging existing norms without directly invoking South African musical idioms.

The adoption of European avant-garde techniques like serialism by South African composers, including Newcater, contributed to the cultural exclusivity promoted by the apartheid regime.

The abstraction and complexity of serialism provided a veneer of artistic neutrality, which allowed it to flourish under state patronage while ignoring the sociopolitical realities of apartheid’s oppression and exclusion.

[7] The Newcater Collection at the Documentation Centre for Music (DOMUS) at Stellenbosch University holds a significant selection of holograph scores and sketches, donated by the composer.