The East Bank hall was a hive of activity recently with choirs delighting crowds with their melodies at a schools’ choral competition.
At the end of the competition, two Alexandra schools – Emfundisweni and Zenzeleni – won prices among twenty two primary and 12 secondary schools from Alexandra that attended. Ivory Park and inner city schools in district 9 attended the annual South African Schools Coral Eisteddfod competition. Other Alexandra schools which attended were Skeen primary and Minerva secondary.
The competition is part of the Provincial Department of Education’s calendar events. It starts at district level and culminates into regional competitions which this year, will be held in Lanesia. The competition comprises solo performances in soprano, alto, tenor, bass, female and male voice choirs performing songs selected by the department and open choice choirs singing a school chosen song with an HIV/AIDS theme. The primary schools competition is for infants, junior and intermediate groups competing only at district level while the secondary schools compete as senior (grades 8 and 9) and FET groups at both district and regional levels.
Event Coordinator and teacher at Kanana primary in Ivory Park, Ndzaliseko Sikampula praised the quality of the competition even though the turnout was less seen in previous competitions. “The competition is for extra mural activities just like the school’s sports competitions are for physical activities and tests are for academic performances. It enables children who are weak academically to excel in another area, while in the process gaining self-confidence which may help them to improve in their weaker areas,” he said. In addition he said, the competition was also an opportunity for them to impress visitors who were there to spot musical talent.
The competitions were conducted by teachers or external conductors and only those in first positions won prizes in the form of trophies and certificates. Emfundisweni won first position in the vernacular song category and second in Afrikaans song at foundation phase and Zenzeleni won first position in vernacular song category at intermediate phase.
Details: Ndaliseko Sikampula; 083 867 7462
