Youth choir sings its way to silver medal
Under the leadership of music director JanErik Swart, the talented youngsters from the South Cape Children’s Choir were awarded two silver medals in the championship categories of Best Children’s Choir and Music Sacra on Friday 7 July.
A total of 12 local Knysna learners are part of the choir that scored a 75% rating, currently making them the 289th ranked choir out of the world’s 1 000 best choirs, according to Swart.
Some of the local children – all from Knysna Primary School – are Nicci Barnard (10), Dylan Bartie (11), Simola du Plessis (11), Angelo Engel (13), Samantha Grobler (12), Simone Grobler (12), Eduard Lohan (12), Joanne Nel (12), Georgia Dillon (9) and Hannah Dillon (11).
The learners took part in the incredibly challenging champions category and came out triumphant.
Their musical director, who has been doing this for over 12 years, expressed how proud he was of his learners, adding, “It’s an exceptional thing they did.”
The enthusiastic Swart said they are now getting ready to take part in the competition in 2020 which will be hosted in Belgium.
On joining forces with the South Cape Music Academy NPO, he said, “Gearing up for 2020 and the tour that comes straight after the competition we want the choir to be inclusive of all local choirs in every area. We want at least one member from each choir to partake in the competition.”
On a question on what motivates him and his team to groom the learners with such single-mindedness, he said, “We want to offer these children an opportunity to see South Africa and the world and we try to make that a reality for them. And when they apply all they have learnt and sing very well, one gets a satisfaction that no words can fully describe,” concluded Swart.