Choir festival brings voices together
MBOMBELA - Choirs came together at Curro Nelspruit last week in what can only be described as harmonious solidarity.
Learners from both Lowveld High and Curro delighted parents in the school hall as a part of Curro’s choir festival.
The Lowveld High conductor, Bongani Mavundla, said the idea for the fest came about when he met Alta Ehrke, Curro’s head of culture, earlier this year at a choir conductors' workshop at the school. They discussed the fact that kids were not able to get on stage and the general frustration they must be going through.
“We started discussing possibilities of what we could do before the end of the year to get the children on stage; nothing too fancy, nothing too big, just to see where we can also start building relationships between choirs and schools.
“We are hoping that we can go bigger from here with other primary and high schools. It is also something kids can commit to that is good for them and that they can enjoy.”
Both Mavundla and Ehrke agreed that the event was success and that attendees greatly enjoyed it.
Ehrke said the kids have so much talent that no one is seeing. “And we wanted to give people hope and show them that we are not alone, but in this together.”
Mavundla said it was exciting to see primary school choirs perform, small as they may be; that is where it all begins.
“All things start small and they can only grow from there.
“If you look at Amanda Hinsbeeck (the conductor for grade one to three) and Alta and the amount of work they put in just to get these small choirs going, it can only get better from here. I hope the institution itself, Curro, is also proud of the fact that they put the festival together.”