School news
Imbasa Primary and Masiphathisane High through to choir finals in Gauteng
TWO schools from Motherwell have proven themselves as choral forces to be reckoned with in the region over the years and will represent the Eastern Cape at the national championships of the SA Schools Choral Eisteddfod next month.
Imbasa Primary School and Masiphathisane High School are tuning up to wow national judges and take on their provincial counterparts at the Rhema Bible Church in Johannesburg from June 30 to July 2.
Imbasa Primary won in the mixed double quartet category for their version of Crown of Roses.
Masiphathisane High won in the HIV/Aids jingle folklore category.
The schools are no strangers to top choral honours, with Imbasa having bagged provincial titles in either the double quartet and sextet categories every year since 2011.
Masiphathisane have been district champions in the traditional or folklore category numerous times.
Imbasa Primary choir conductor Nyameka Vara attributed their success to the support and cooperation of the pupils’ parents as well as the pupils’ dedication.
“The parents release their children to us every weekend for rehearsals and when we travel around the province taking part in competitions, they are there rooting for their children and the choir.
“Some are not financially sound, but would go as far as hitchhiking to wherever the provincial competitions are.
“We are indeed blessed,” Vara said this week.
“While we are used to winning, we do not take it for granted.
“We always have to work hard to maintain our standard, aim to be better than the previous year, and work to ensure we win.”
Last year, the school was awarded a piano for shining at the national championships and boast a number of trophies earned at the competition – provincially and nationally – over the years.
Masiphathisane High conductor Chwayita Foloti said she was excit- ed about making it past the provincial round.
This relieved pressure she had felt since taking over from the previous conductor, who led the 75-member choir to numerous wins.
“This is a great achievement, especially for me, having taken over from a champ who got the trophies flooding in,” she said.
“I had felt bad last year when we made it past the district championships, but did not make it at provincial level.
“We are now working to ensure that we maintain our standard, especially in the traditional or folklore category.
“This year, we gave a message of hope for those affected and infected by HIV/Aids and advocated for protection, before enacting a scene where a new sangoma was being robed.
“What made that all that much more special and authentic is the fact that within the choir, we have practising sangomas who then teach the others about their ways.”