Durban music conductor to direct girls’ choir school
THE conductor of three Durban school choirs has been appointed the director of the first girls’ choir school in the province – and one of the few in the country.
Judith Hawthorn will be the first director of the Drakondale Girls Choir School, which will open in January.
The school is the brainchild of Drakensberg Boys Choir founder, Dr John Tungay.
Co-founder Wendy Clarke, owner and editor of the Drakonteur Newspaper, a community publication in the Midlands, said they decided to act on the idea only earlier this year.
“For 50 years there has only been a boys’ choir school. When I started investigating, I found that this was the case in the whole of Africa.
“Even internationally, there are only a few, so this is a new thing for girls. I don’t understand why, because boys’ voices break at a certain age; we don’t have that situation with girls, so they can sing right up to matric.
“A lot of things just came together at the right time and we decided to go for it,” she said.
Yesterday, they took over the premises for the school, the former home of Benedictine monks.
The school is located in the Cedara area, between Howick and Hilton in the KZN Midlands.
It has been made ready for the maximum of 20 pupils for each of their Grade 7 and 8 classes next year. The school will then add a grade each year.
One of the teachers will be Tandile Mandela, an internationally acclaimed musician and granddaughter of the late statesman, Nelson Mandela.
As serendipity would have it, Hawthorn was already moving to Howick, after her husband got a work transfer.
She currently conducts the Curro Hillcrest Christian Academy, Durban Girls, and Hillcrest High School choirs, and is the director of the primary school arts Festival in the Hills.
Hawthorn said she was intrigued by the idea of a girls choir school, something “South Africa has been waiting for, for decades”.
More than 40 years ago, she had watched her brother thrive at Drakensberg, all the while desperate to be part of a similar school for girls.
Her dream has finally come true as the choir director at Drakondale.
“It’s an incredible opportunity and I’m excited to be part of this experience for girls.
“My vision is for them to be able to fulfil their potential as singers and musicians, and enjoy the opportunity to perform and be exposed to international choirs.
“For us to be able to focus 100% on something we are passionate about, is wonderful. We will have a lot of fun making music together,” said Hawthorn.
The school will offer normal CAPS curriculum, including music as a subject, but also dedicate three hours a day to the choir.
“School is brilliant at educating children’s minds and bodies through sports, but a school like this educates the heart, which is absolutely neglected. Music is the language of the heart. Drakondale will produce well-rounded girls,” said Hawthorn.
Auditions for next year will be held in Johannesburg on September 10 and 11, and at the Hilton Arts Festival from September 16 to the 18.