(SOJ Chorale Conductor Sibusiso
Mkhulisi)
The Pietermaritzburg Amateur Music Society (PAMS) choir is
adding its voice to the trend of choir building on June 3, 2018, in the Spirit of Africa: Iyasha Ingoma Concert in the Winston Churchill
Auditorium in Pietermaritzburg.
The Spirit of Africa
Concert - Iyasha Ingoma (loosely translated as “New Song), promises to be a
beautiful, unique cross-over aural experience. Eight teenagers from the
Willowfountain Intermediate School (Edendale) will be joining the predominantly
English-speaking and somewhat older, experienced PAMS choristers in singing
acclaimed composer Qinisela Sibisi’s Missa
Brevis in Zulu. Mozart’s Coronation
Mass, sung by the Sounds of Joy Chorale (SOJ) under the baton of Sibusiso
Mkhulisi, will follow.
“We are singing in Zulu – they are singing in Latin,” said
an excited Nigel Fish, who has been the PAMS Choir’s conductor for the past two
years. Fish has known fellow conductor Mkhulisi for over 40 years when he was a
pianist and the latter a chorister in the well-known Pietermaritzburg Choral
Society under Dr Joshua Radebe. “The idea to collaborate in a combined choral
concert followed naturally. United by our love of choral music it is wonderful
to have the relative youth of his choir alongside my choristers.”
The combined choirs will conclude the concert with Five Spirituals by Sir Michael Tippett.
“The distinctive tone-quality gives a very special depth and passion to the
Tippett spirituals,” Fish said. The soloists are Thembi Sithole and Mtuseni
Madlala, who will be accompanied by Jacques Heyns.
PAMS chair, Jonathan Draper, believes that this co-operative
venture between choirs provides a unique opportunity to step outside comfort
zones and learn from each other, coming as they do from such different musical
traditions. “Our South African heritage provides us not only with troubled
memories but with wonderful opportunities for cultural cross-over and
creativity.”
SOJ conductor Sibusiso Mkhulisi said one of the main
objectives of the choir is to enrich and equip young and old people through
music. Nation building through music is high on his agenda. The SOJ was
established 15 years ago and chosen among 30 choirs to represent KZN in the
2017 Old Mutual National Choir Festival. It also obtained the first position in
the folklore (Istibili) category in the Melting Pot Competition last year.
While the choir is based in uMlazi, South of Durban, the membership has grown
to such an extent that it has another branch in Pietermaritzburg.
The concert takes place on June 3, 2018, at 14h30 in the Winston
Churchill Auditorium, Leinster Road, Pietermaritzburg. Tickets R100 pp (R60 pp group
bookings of six and more people; R50 students). Phone Irene for tickets on 082
200 3928 or email: pams@centiment.co.za or book online at https://www.centiment.co.za/events
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