Proven
world beater gives glorious and joyous performance. (Review by Keith Millar)
The
Kearsney College Choir is a proven world beater. Just have a look at this
résumé. Since the year 2000, they have acquired ten gold medals and six silver
medals at the World Choir Games – the biggest choir competition in the world.
At the last games in Cincinnati, USA, in 2012, they were crowned World
Champions in the Scenic Folklore category. This was the third time they had
received this particular award. These achievements are against all-comers as
the competition is not restricted to school choirs.
Next week,
the choir will travel to Geneva to represent the continent of Africa at the
United Nations sponsored Rhythms of One World festival. Thereafter, they will
move on to the city of Riga, the capital of Latvia in Northern Europe, to
defend their World Champions title at the 2014 World Choir Games.
This
week the choir gave their families, friends and fans the opportunity to preview
their World Choir Games programme with two performances at Henderson Hall at
the school. Presented in a supper theatre format, these concerts proved to be
wonderful festive affairs with supporters of the choir turning up in their
hundreds and filling the hall to capacity.
This
enthusiastic and receptive audience was treated to an outstanding and
spellbinding performance by the 64 young men of this impressive choir. Superbly
led by the school’s Director of Music, Bernard Krüger, they performed with mesmerising
vigour, boisterousness, energy and musicality. The elation of singing and
performing was palpable on the faces of all the boys. They just want to sing,
and they certainly can. It was a glorious and joyous performance.
Included
in the programme was music from all three categories the choir has entered at
this year’s games. They are: Young Male Choir, Scenic Pop and Scenic Folklore.
It is a
wonderful and innovative programme with many highlights which brought the
audience to their feet on several occasions. The choir makes liberal use of
percussion instruments and is supported by a band of piano, guitar, bass and
drums, and on occasion saxophones. All the musicians, apart from the school’s
full-time accompanist and music teacher, Bonita Ziegelmeier, are members of the
choir.
There is
little doubt that the Kearsney College Choir is one of the premier ensembles in
Africa and indeed in the world today. The members come from varied backgrounds,
both culturally and economically, but are living proof of what can be achieved
if we are prepared to work together and forge relationships to achieve a common
goal.
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