GEORGE WELCOMES national school choir festival
The fourth Cantamus! national school choir festival and competition planned for 9 to 12 August promises an event-filled programme for participants and audience alike. This annual festival, presented by Southern Cape Sport Tours and the South Cape Music Academy, will take place in the George Civic Centre. The festival was launched in 2015 as a cultural tourism initiative and has grown from strength to strength, now drawing up to 1 500 choristers from schools all over South Africa. This year, fifteen choirs will be participating.
An exciting long weekend of events will be presented, commencing with the official opening on Thursday 9 August at 19:00. Well-known local artist Michael Lindt will present a programme of some of his greatest hits, supported by a mass choir comprising all the participating choirs.
On Friday, the choirs will conduct sound checks and go sightseeing, including visits to the Cango Caves, ostrich farms, game lodges and tourist spots. Friday evening’s public gala concert will feature selected choirs performing with the acclaimed South Cape Children’s Choir, directed by Jan-Erik Swart.
Saturday’s programme will commence with choir workshops. From 14:00 until 17:00, adjudication concerts will be held, which can be attended by the public, and the prizegiving ceremony will conclude the festival at 18:00. Participating choirs will then be treated to a Get-to-Know-You party.
Tickets for all the events, the competition and concerts open to the public will be available at the door. Churches who would like choirs to sing during their Sunday morning services are invited to contact the organisers on 082 585 0632. Bookings for seats can be made on 084 645 9320.
In October, instrumental school groups from all over South Africa will get the opportunity to gather in George for the first Simphonia orchestra and band competition.