Durban - KwaZulu-Natal will showcase some of its best choral talents as various choirs will take centre stage and deliver two nights of good music.
The Choral Celebration Network Foundation (CCNF) series next weekend will involve more than 600 choristers.
“Our boys love performing on stage and always look forward to interactions with other choirs since we all have a common interest ‒ the love of singing,” said Kearsney College head of choir, Dhiyarv Govender.
Kearsney College and KZN Youth Choir conductor Bernard Kruger said: “We want to show the other choirs what a group of boys can achieve when we work together and really apply our minds and bodies with focus and precision while we are on stage. We are also there to just enjoy the concert and our performance.
“The Kearsney Choir loves promoting South African music and to show our people and the rest of the world the vibrance and energy of our nation through its songs. We will also deliver some choral show-stoppers to show audiences that our choir is technically and musically skilled as an ensemble,” said Kruger.
Having been involved since 2022, he added that the organisers of the CCNF event had been doing fantastic work in promoting choral music throughout KZN.
“We will continue to support their work in future. We love sharing the stage with other choirs and are happy that such a diverse variety of choirs are participating,” he said.
KZN Youth Choir co-head and Clifton School matric pupil Damien Butt said he looked forward to being a part of the CCNF Festival, having been to two of their festivals this year.
”I can confidently say these are experiences you won't forget. There’s something captivating about taking your choir, with close links, friendships and putting it into a mass of 600 singers. Everyone there is just doing what they love. There’s no pressure of trying to impress a fancy audience as we are all just making good music,“ said Butt.
“This festival is another opportunity for the KZNYC and I to show what we can do, but also, to share in the music. We are extremely excited and privileged to be attending this CCNF festival.”
KZNYC board chairperson Nicky Baird said this type of festival was a chance for the different choirs to see how they all perform and allow them to interact with other choristers. She added that it was important for their choir to capture all of South Africa’s cultures, which was why they had 27 different schools represented.
“We have a close working relationship with Alta Mare from the CCNF. This will be our second year performing at this event. We were part of the inaugural KZN UDUMO choir festival held by CCNF last month, with 600 children performing on one stage,” she said.
Host school Ashton College will have three choirs performing: Foundation Phase, Intersen Choir and Senior College. Other choirs performing are Grantleigh Curro Empangeni, St Mary’s DSG Kloof, Queensburgh High School, Newcastle High School, Empangeni High, St Dominic’s and the University of Zululand.
The Independent on Saturday