Local kids choir crowned world's best
AS THE Fifa World Cup came to an end in Moscow last night, so did the World Cup of Choirs in Tshwane.
The World Choir Games is the world’s biggest choral competition and is based on Olympic ideals. From July 4 to 14, it was hosted in Africa for the first time.
The city enjoyed more than 50 concerts and over 400 competition performances from the 300 participating choirs.
Performers lived up to the theme of “Various voices, one harmony” and took their songs to all parts of the city, including the townships.
Just as the opening ceremony at the Sun Arena, Time Square, was abuzz with the excitement of the participants, the closing ceremony on Saturday also dazzled.
Local artists also did not disappoint as they performed poetry, songs and dance routines.
Performances focused on the spiritual, giving visitors a taste of what it was like to be a South African on a Sunday.
Speaking with pride, executive mayor Solly Msimanga said: “We promised a world-class event and we sure did not disappoint. We have seen friendships being developed, competitions take place and we never heard anything negative throughout.”
Msimanga said hosting the Interkultur World Choir Games had been an honour, especially while the country was celebrating the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela.
“We have created a legacy with the Mayoral Legacy Concert, where we were able to give blankets and toiletries to hundreds of people in need. That was achieved through donations made by everyone who attended the concert, and we are thankful for that,” he said.
Msimanga added that he was happy to learn that there were international visitors who were not immediately leaving the country as they still wanted to visit places in the city – and that included experiencing the chisanyama in Soshanguve.
Interkultur and World Choir Games president Günter Titsch said he was proud of South Africa for having hosted a successful World Choir Games festival. He said the participation by the country’s choirs was amazing.
A total of 162 South African choirs participated in the choir festival and 76 of these received medal diplomas.
South Africa ranked first on the ranking list of medals. Next came China with 25 medals, Russia with 17, the US with 15 and Germany with 9.