Gauteng Choristers celebrate Human Rights Day with a glorious concert

When marking Human Rights Day we recall the roles so many people and organisations played in the struggle to secure equal rights for all.

This according to The Senene Development Foundation who will be staging a Human Rights Day from 20 to 21 March at the Linder Auditorium at the Wits Education Campus in Parktown.

This will be done with the Gauteng Choristers alongside a 53-piece orchestra to commemorate the role of struggle stalwarts and the church with two cantatas.

The two-day concert features cantatas from two renowned composers in the classical choral music industry: Ihubo 47 by Qinisela Sibisi on the 20 March and Zizi Lethu by Phelelani Mnomiya on 21 March.

Conducted by Sidwell Mhlongo, both cantatas draw on the union of voices and orchestra and feature soloists Given Nkosi (tenor), North West Serenaders soloist Kamohelo Tsotetsi (baritone), Kananelo Sehau (tenor), Nombuso Ndlandla (soprano), Tsekiso Moloi (mezzo-soprano) and the 2012 Standard Bank Young Artist Award in Music winner and international sensation Kelebogile Besong (soprano).

The piece Ihubo 47 is a seven-part Psalm that broadly narrates the church’s role in the fight against human oppression while Zizi Lethu honours the freedom fighters who made invaluable contributions towards South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994.

With 20 years of conducting the Gauteng Choristers and a career in both choir and solo roles, as well as adjudication, Mhlongo brings the richness of experience to the choir that these two works require to reach their full magnificent potential. “This concert is very special for me because this year I am celebrating 20 years as conductor of Gauteng Choristers. It is going to be a fantastic experience for the audience on both days,” said conductor Sidwell Mhlongo.

The project in alignment with The Senene Development Foundation purpose of promoting, protecting and preserving African arts, culture and heritage fuses vintage classical music with contemporary lifestyle aesthetics.

The event includes a VIP lifestyle experiential area which will exhibit a range of proudly black South African wine brands, a gin bar, as well as a whiskey and cigar lounge, set to allow an atmosphere to network and engage.

Raising the curtain for the Gauteng Choristers will be development choirs from two Johannesburg based schools: Emmangweni Primary School Choir in Tembisa, competitors in the annual ABC Motsepe South African Choir Eisteddfod provincially and nationally and a secondary school choir still to be confirmed.

Tickets are available at Computicket with two-day pass tickets also available at discounted prices.

Details: info@buz.co.za

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