The Tygerberg Children’s Choir, hailing from Cape Town, is set to perform in two concerts and participate in a major choir competition in the UK this month.
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Having earned a double gold at the 2018 World Choir Games in Pretoria, the choir now holds the impressive fourth rank in Interkultur’s global ranking.
On 28 April, the Tygerberg Children’s Choir will be the sole representative from South Africa and Africa in the Interkultur Choir competition in the UK.
As reported by IOL, Choir conductor Karina Erasmus revealed that the choir had initially aimed to defend their double gold title at the 2020 World Choir Games in Belgium, but the pandemic forced the competition’s cancellation and disrupted all their plans.
‘We had a very difficult time during Covid and at the end of February 2022, we ended up with only 40 choir members.
‘We kept on practising online during Covid and so many choir members could not cope with no social or physical interaction at normal practices, so they ended membership of the choir.
‘Currently we are 67 choir members, we toured to Namibia for the first time in September 2022 and now we are ready to compete internationally again. We are excited about our first concert since 2019 in the Endler Hall in Stellenbosch on 16 April at 4pm,’ said Erasmus.
Comprising children from various schools across Cape Town, the choir diligently rehearses every Tuesday evening for two hours, and on Saturdays for a minimum of four hours. The choir is scheduled to perform their own concert in Barnsley on 25 April, followed by a collaborative performance with the Barnsley choirs on 26 April.
Both concerts were completely sold out within two days of opening bookings. The choir has also been invited to showcase their talent at the Gala concert of the competition alongside three other choirs hailing from Great Britain and Finland.
Matthew Marinus (14) who sings alto in the choir said,’ I feel super grateful and excited for the opportunity given to the choir. I am looking forward to meeting new people and singing in the York Minster.’
Isabella Willoughby (15) who sings soprano expressed her excitement, ‘I am extremely excited to be travelling to the UK to compete, and being the only choir in Africa to compete. I am proud to be representing my country and continent. I am looking forward to the competition and hopefully winning! I am also looking forward to hearing other choirs sing and meeting possibly new friends.’
The Tygerberg Children’s Choir recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, and in honour of the occasion, a special birthday concert has been planned for 23 July at the Cape Town City Hall.
The event will feature a combined choir of current members and ex-members spanning the past five decades, with previous conductor Hennie Loock leading the mass choir.
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Picture: The Tygerberg Children’s Choir / Facebook