THE Umdoni Choir is under the baton of Elma Pennells, and has been for the past 14 years.
Elma has music in her blood.
From an early age, she studied music and eventually obtained a degree in music.
This led her into education, where she taught music at schools. Quite early in her studies, she found she did not want to pursue a career with an orchestra, because of her passion for people.
During the course of her career she worked with Gisela de Villiers, and the pinnacle of Elma’s success was conducting the Soutpansberg Laerskool choir at the State Theatre in Pretoria. That was in 1992.
In 1996 Elma moved to the coast and made her family promise not to tell anyone of her involvement with music. But, when her furniture was being offloaded, someone noticed the piano. She was emphatic that she would no longer teach, but did offer help to some youngsters when the need arose. And so the word got out – we had a maestro in our midst.
It was Margaret Slavin at Umdoni Retirement Village who roped Elma into setting up a choir. A singing group had been formed in the village but they sang to backing tracks. So it was that one day when Elma arrived to play bowls, Margaret was waiting for her at the greens. That was when the Umdoni Choir was conceived and it started with 10 people. There are now between 22 and 24 women and 10 to 12 men who gather every Monday morning at the Umdoni village hall to sing their hearts out with Elma conducting them. They are accompanied by Hazel Burns. And it is this throng of ‘nightingales’ who will regale the community in song on Friday, October 9, at 6pm for 7pm at a BYO supper theatre, and again on Sunday, October 11, at 2pm for a matinee.
Both performances will be held in the Umdoni Retirement Village Hall, and tickets are available from Art Works, Scott Street, Scottburgh, or from the Residents’ Activities Committee (RAC) office, in the hall on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 11am. Any enquiries can be directed to Heather Butler 039-975-9660 or 076-541-8610.
