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How the Ndlovu Youth Choir shares similarities with the Springboks
The Ndlovu Youth Choir’s SA tour kicks off on Thursday at Montecasino's Teatro before heading to Cape Town.
The Ndlovu Youth Choir’s SA tour kicks off at Montecasino’s Teatro and will also play show in Cape Town. Picture: Supplied
Similar to the Springboks, the depth of quality in the Ndlovu Youth Choir means any of their members can perform at the highest level without a drop of standard.
“The choir doesn’t always travel together. The full choir is over 30 choristers but when we’re abroad, we have another choir that stays at home and all the choristers are rotated so it’s not as if there’s an ‘A’ choir or ‘B’ choir or first team or second team,” Ndlovu Youth Choir conductor, composer and producer Ralf Schmitt told The Citizen.
The choir kicks off its SA tour at Montecasino’s Teatro on Thursday, 5 September, and the Joburg leg will run until Sunday,8 September, while the Cape Town show starts only next year in January.
“We have a rotation system where the choristers are rotated equally and everybody gets a chance to travel internationally and locally.”
All the members of the Ndlovu Youth Choir are part of the SA tour.
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Selling out
They had a similar tour in 2021 resulting in sold-out SA tours in 2022 and 2023. Tickets for the current tour are also on the verge of selling out.
“We’re extremely humbled by the support that we’ve received from the South African audiences. This is our fourth year doing the shows at the Teatro in Montecasino and Artscape in Cape Town and to have sold out in three years and about to sell out a fourth is just incredible,” averred Schmitt.
“It’s the energy and the vibrancy of young South Africans that makes people return to the shows.”
‘One rural village in Limpopo’
The man behind the popular choir believes there’s ample fledgling talent across the country, considering that the Ndlovu Youth Choir is made up of youth solely from Limpopo.
“We’re from one rural village in Limpopo and if that’s the talent in one little village, how much untapped talent is there throughout our country,” he said.
ALSO READ: Ndlovu Youth Choir teaches us to nurture the youth
World stage
Outside of South Africa, the composer said the choir has played the most shows in the Netherlands and the US.
Last year, the Ndlovu Youth choir performed to more than 40,000 people in Amsterdam.
“We were at the North Sea Jazz Festival and we’re about to go back to the Netherlands for a sold-out run at the prestigious AFAS Theatre.”
Schmitt said homesick expats show them support when they perform abroad.
“What is also fun is seeing South Africans coming to the shows and they always come with their eyes filled with tears as they become incredibly homesick when they watch the choir.”
“We did a full US tour last year all the way from Florida up to Vermont up the East Coast. We’ve also done two full concert tours of Europe where we primarily performed in the Netherlands and Germany.
ALSO READ: Ndlovu Youth Choir forms second choir as fame grows
Life on tour
According to Schmitt, the biggest challenge of touring the globe with a group of young people is mainly administrative.
“Getting the visas, work visas and getting everyone to their appointments and sorting that out. We have a fantastic team that helps with that. It isn’t easy.”
He said there isn’t much of a difference in their domestic and international performances bar a few tweaks.
“Ja, there may be small changes but I would say the vast majority of the show is the same. Some songs or jokes that South African audiences would catch that you wouldn’t necessarily do overseas, so we do make subtle changes but by in large it’s the same show.”
The world-renowned choir will make a return to New York City later this year after having performed at Bryant Park in a once-off concert for the Carnegie Hall Foundation.
Now they will make their debut at the prestigious Carnegie Hall where a celebration of South Africa’s 30 years of democracy take place.
“We’re very honoured to represent South Africa and the Carnegie Hall to celebrate 30 years of democracy. We’ve got so much to celebrate in South Africa and sometimes we forget how amazing we are and all the incredible things we’ve done…we’ve got this South African gees (spirit) this resilience and we’re definitely gonna show it at the Carnegie Hall.”
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