Battle of the Choirs a resounding success

The winning choirs of King David Linksfield High School and Crawford Fourways Primary School, walked away with more than R70 000 worth of prizes and a professional studio recording session.

Other competitors were King David Victory Park High, Crawford Sandton High, King David Linksfield Primary, King David Victory Park Primary, King David Sandton Primary, Crawford Fourways Primary and Fairways Primary.

The event was held to raise both cancer awareness and the profile of school choirs. It will take place annually and organisers promise a much expanded version next year.

The panel of judges included award-winning vocalist, songwriter, composer and producer, RJ Benjamin, singer and performer, Dean Kantor, award-winning actress, Gina Shmukler, and owner of sound studio, Wired Sound, Chris de Wet. The MC for the day was Chai FM’s popular Brad Tyack.

“The choir movement is huge in the US, prompted by shows like Glee, and we need to see that happening in South Africa,” said the event’s directors, Lana Roy and Vicki Mervis. “We really hope this competition will help to instil a choral tradition here.”

Roy and Mervis were inspired by Dance for a Cure, a non-profit organisation that raises the awareness of and funds to fight cervical cancer in South Africa through dance.

“This inspired us to marry our passion for music with raising funds for cancer awareness, and the concept of Battle of the Choirs fighting the Battle against Cancer was born,” said Roy, who has lost two close friends to cancer and helped her father conquer the disease.

All proceeds went to D L Link, an organisation which relies solely on public funding. “We look after the day-to-day needs of cancer patients and their families including lifts, meals, counselling, spa days, birthday parties and outings for the kids,” said D L Link co-founder, Michelle Goodman.