SA hopes to lock up Choir Games

CORRECTIONAL Services officials will be among the choirs battling it out in the world’s largest international choir competition – the 2018 World Choir Games.

The Correctional Services Kgosi Mampuru II Choir, hailed by some as arguably South Africa’s finest voices, will compete against choirs from 45 countries in the Games taking place from July 4 to 14 in Tshwane.

It will perform four songs in the open competition for the debutants category and eight for the friendship concert.

The 2018 World Choir Games, previously called the Choir Olympics, will see the Correctional Services Kgosi Mampuru II Choir testing the finest choral music talent from around the world, including the US, Jamaica, Switzerland, China and Singapore.

The 55-member choir was established in the early 1990s as an extramural activity for Department of Correctional Services choral enthusiasts, who use their spare time to fine-tune their voices and unite in song.

Acting DCS national commissioner Mandla Mkabela said: “We are indeed proud that our choir will fly the South African flag high when it takes to the stage and showcases its true multicultural vocal skills and spectacle.”

The group’s musical director, Zwelithini Molopyane, said: “Hard work and plenty of practice will ensure an exceptionally high standard of performance when ascending to the stage in July.

“It has never been easy for the choir, as members are all full-time Correctional Services officials.

“They have to juggle within the shift system in order to attend rehearsals. Often we have to alternate with other colleagues and sacrifice our rest days in order to register our presence in learning the music with other members.”

Another South African choir at this year’s World Choir Games is the Stellenbosch University Choir that won the event’s Best Amateur Choir title and grabbed the Spiritual, Musica Contemporanea and Musica Sacra a cappella categories of the Games in 2016 in Russia.

It has never been easy for the choir as members are all full-time Correctional Services officials