Those who missed the 6th Annual Joburg Choral Festival for whatever reason need not panic. The festival, which was recorded, will be broadcast on the Facebook page of JoburgCulture on July 2. A happy Councillor Lubabalo Magwentshu, who is the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development Department in the City of Johannesburg, said: “What I experienced at the 6th Annual Joburg Choral Festival at the Joburg Theatre reaffirmed choral music as one of the genres that is enjoyed by the majority of South Africans.
“As the City, we are excited as a City to play the significant role of supporting this marginalized genre of music.”
MMC Magwentshu called on stakeholders on Saturday, 20 May 2023, to support choral music as that would go a long in preserving our cultural music.
“This 6th Annual Joburg Choral Festival is a proud production of the City of Johannesburg. Choral has and continues to facilitate mass participation in music, to horn the skill and ignite passion. It is a cultivating ground in the music industry. I call on stakeholders to come on board so that we can elevate this genre,” said Cllr Magwentshu.
Choirs and soloists performed two items at the festival, which was one prescribed song, accompanied by an orchestra and a song of their choice to display the wealth of traditional South African composition.
The line-up included standard and large choirs, Harmonious Chorale, Sounds of Amajuba, Sounds of the Nation, Soweto Community Choir, Butterworth Campus, Meadowlands Choral, Soweto Suoni Corali and Ubuntu Chorale.
Standard choirs (composed of less than 30 choristers) received R16 000. Large choirs (composed of 40 to 60 choristers) received R18 000. From April to May 2023, all the choirs went through vigorous screening and adjudication processes to qualify for the finale.
African Sweet Melodies from Sedibeng District Municipality and Bokamoso Arts Institute & Skills Academy from Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality were guest choirs outside Joburg.
Apart from their great music excellence, the two drive social programmes such as raising awareness on the dangers of social ills like drugs. They received R39 250.
Delisile Khubeka, Nkosingiphile Lubisi and Thulisile Mndzebele mesmerised the audience with their amazing voices. These soloists were awarded R5 000 each.
A well-pronounced internationalist, Khayakazi Madlala was the guest soloist who with her luscious soprano enthralled the audience. Madlala received R8 000.
The Music Director, Kgaugelo Mpyane of Bokamoso Arts Institute & Skills Academy, appreciated this social gathering and expressed how grateful his institution was to be part of the choral festival.
“The City of Johannesburg Arts, Culture and Heritage once more showed its ability to organise and bring together local and international participants to our prestige international space, the Joburg Theatre,” said Vuyisile Mshudulu, the Director Arts, Culture and Heritage.
He assured the audience that the city is commitment to growing the creative industry.
23/05/2023