Local, international choirs join forces
BRAAMFONTEIN - The Wits Choir will be joined by the Wingate University Choir from North Carolina, USA, for a one-night-only performance.
This marks the American choir’s second visit to South Africa under the direction of conductor Dr Kenney Potter.
“Another exciting aspect of this concert is that the newly formed Young Wits Choir will perform… for the very first time,” said Wits Theatre spokesperson Catherine Pisanti.
“The programme these three choirs will present will be a varied one with selections from the USA and Europe being juxtaposed with songs from South Africa and Africa, and with composed classical repertoire being performed alongside traditional African folk songs.”
The choirs will also present collaborative works with an emphasis on traditional South African folk songs.
The Wingate University Choir has, through regional concert tours and state-wide engagements, been recognised for excellence.
Its repertoire includes Western and non-western musical traditions, American sacred music, gospel and spirituals, folk songs, and hymns.
The choir’s commitment to global education has seen it travel to South Africa, Estonia and Latvia, where they received Grand Prix honours at the Parnu International Choral Festival.
The Wits Choir celebrated its 50th birthday in 2012.
Vibrant, young and colourful, choir membership is open to all; the result being a fully representative choir drawn from diverse national and international cultures.
The Wits Choir has been under the direction of conductor and trainer Dalene Hoogenhout since 1994.
The concert will take place on 21 May at The Atrium, South-West Engineering Building, East Campus, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, at 7pm.
Details: 011 717 1376; www.webtickets.co.za
Watch the Wingate University Choir sing Shosholoza in Estonia:
https://youtu.be/kwuV-VP_xEo
