Music be Kamohelo Lebakeng’s ultimate legato

The singer, who forms part of UJ Choir, shares why his love for music is far-reaching.

Kamohelo Lebakeng is one of UJ Choir’s members.

For Kamohelo Lebakeng, music has been his saving grace, giving him peace and feeding his soul through the harmonies and melodies that evoke positive emotions. With such loving feelings associated with the art form, it should come as no surprise that he is part of the University of Johannesburg Choir (UJ Choir).

He has been a member for the past seven years, forming part of the choir’s tenor two voice group. He joined the choral group as he wanted to be part of a community that shares in the creation and making of music – ‘sharing the love of music and to learn different styles of singing, especially Western classical music’.

Joining the choir was not a hard decision to make after having heard them perform. After this experience, he felt inspired and, in turn, wanted to inspire others through his talents of singing, dancing, and being a percussionist.

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If you’ve ever heard the choir perform My Lord Has Come by Will Todd, Õhtul by Pärt Uusbergor, and O Sacrum Convivium by Kim André Arnesen, then you have heard some of Lebakeng’s favourite songs to perform. These songs deeply resonate with him for an assortment of reasons, ranging from being the first song he learnt, getting a sense of complete joy through its performance, or it being a song he finds hope through.

Being part of UJ Choir’s 50th anniversary is something he finds great honour in. “My years involved in this choir make me a part of the story and the legacy,” he said.
Through being part of the choir for all these years, he has had the pleasure of being part of many special events that he reflects on with great fondness, such as the World Choir Games, travelling to and performing in Beijing, China, as well as sharing the stage with incredible musicians, such as the late Gloria Bosman.

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