Wits Choir to wow audiences

Having conquered audiences from far and wide, they now return home to Wits University to present their highly anticipated Annual Gala Concert in the Wits Great Hall. The concert is the culmination of the choir’s hard work throughout the year and is a joy to choristers and audience members alike.

The choir was originally called The Witwatersrand University Choir and was founded by students from two diverse student bodies in 1961 after they used the profits from the university’s production of Oklahoma to buy choral music and start a choir.

The choir had the honour to sing for the late President Nelson Mandela on three occasions, and they could only describe him as a gracious and generous audience member. They also had the honour of singing at his Memorial Service at Wits University. The message of ubuntu that he lived by is one that the choir strives to emulate.

A fresh addition to the concert line-up this year will be the appearance of the newly-formed Young Wits Choir.

This younger sibling of the 54-year-old Wits Choir was established in 2013 and this will be their first appearance at the prestigious gala event.

The choir is set to perform some of their fan favourites such as Ntakana ntyilo-ntyilo, an isiXhosa folksong, Gebed by Afrikaans poet Koos du Plessis and Alleluia by Malawian composer, Emmanuel Mlenga.

Conducted by Dalene Hoogenhout, the choir aims to bring the music of South Africa and the rest of the continent to audiences everywhere.

Details: www.webtickets.co.za