DURBAN composer, recording artist and popular musician Bev Mac Gregor and The Kholwa Project choir recently won 64 gold medals between them for KwaZulu-Natal at The South Africa Performing Arts Championships.
As a result, the group have also been accepted to represent South Africa in The World Performing Arts Championships in the USA in 2021.
“We met online by chance,” said Bev.
“The choir consists of myself and the popular multiple award winning nine piece Isicathamiya Choir from KwaZulu-Natal – The Kholwa Brothers. Through this magical meeting and then collaboration, The Kholwa Project was formed! What more than an eclectic mix of musical talent, to shake up and bring hope and the spirit of Unity, to a nation that was about to buckle and almost break, at the onset of Covid 19. The rest is history, as the saying goes,” said Bev.
She said the group never imagined that they would eventually get to compete in The South African Performing Arts Championships, because lockdown firmly placed the brakes on their combined dreams.
“Dates to compete were indefinitely delayed and I personally began to lose hope that we would ever get to perform. But we eventually did! And 64 gold medals later, we are basking in the glory, a celebration of our hard efforts.”
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The group’s genre of music was originally strictly classified as Isicathamiya, but as a composer for the choir, she has added her own flare and flavour, from the inspirations of The Greats such as Johnny Clegg, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Mango Groove.
“As the composer for this choir, I feel proud and honored that we have won so many medals and have therefore been chosen to represent our country. I also individually entered the solo category, taking home 10 medals of my own. However working with choirs and composing for them is my dream,” she said.
The outpouring from their fans on social media has also been overwhelming.
“We can barely wait until flights are opened again to The USA, where we will compete in The World Performing Arts Championships,” said Derrick Mlambo, choir master, choreographer and isiZulu composer for the group.
“Our message to the artists who have given up on their dream is – don’t!” he said.
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