Mbombela hosts local clash of choirs
The association also recruits community choirs, nurtures and markets them, and takes care of their well-being and development.
MBOMBELA – In a quest to promote and support music excellence in the province, the Mpumalanga Choral Music Association (MCMA) held the Mpumalanga Choral Music Eisteddfod on Sunday, September 13, at the Nelspruit Civic Theatre.
Various choirs from regions in Mpumalanga competed. Groups participated in three categories: The development mixed choirs, standard mixed choirs and large mixed choirs. The standard category caters for 30 to 40 choristers while the large group caters for 49 to 69.
For four years the association has been partnering with the performing-arts unit at the Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation to present the competition.
The association also received donations from Standard Bank, Woolworths and other sponsors to make the event a success.
Working with the Department of Education, the chairman, Patrick Ndaba, said MCMA also aimed to facilitate music development in local schools.
“We believe music is an important section in our school curriculum and we humbly request that the department avails music teachers in competitions such as this to help improve their knowledge,” Ndaba said.
The association also recruits community choirs, nurtures and markets them, and takes care of their well-being and development.
Ndaba said it wanted to celebrate Heritage Month in style by celebrating local talent and that choral music was a beautiful part of the province’s heritage.
“The relationship between choral music and heritage has always been a subject of curiosity, while choral music is a very unique genre, I believe that it is still very relevant.”.
The winners in each category received a cash prize ranging from R10 000 to R8 000 and R5 000.
They also received trophies. There were also prizes for the groups that came second and third.
The results of the Mpumalanga Choral Eisteddfod 2015 are as follows:
Development section
Winner: TUT Emalahleni Choir (of eMalahleni – Nkangala region)
Second place: Moretele Youth Choir (of Moretele – Nkangala region)
Standard section
Winner: Drakensberg Choristers (Acornhoek)
Second place: Solidarity Vocal Project (Mpuluzi)
Third place: African Serenade Choral Project (Bethal)
Large section
Winner: Msukaligwa Choral Sound (Ermelo)
Second place: Emalahleni Choral Sound (Witbank)
Third place: White River Philharmonic Choir (White River)
