KNYSNA NEWS - The South Cape Children’s Choir (SCCC) will be participating in the 10th World Choir Games in Tshwane during July, and thanks to some of the talented young singers will not only be representing only the Southern Cape but their hometown as well.
The choir is currently one of South Africa’s top regional choirs providing local, regional, national and international performance opportunities to children between the ages of nine and 16, from all communities in the Ladismith, Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, Hartenbos, George, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay regions of the Western Cape.
Cultural ambassadors
Every member is a cultural ambassador of music representing South Africa, who develops a range of educational skills at the highest level. By participating in the largest choral competition in the world, every child receives an education they will never receive in the classroom.
According to music director Jan-Erik Swart, the choir's current world ranking is 289th out of the top 1 000 choirs in the world.
In 2014, the choir competed in the open category of the World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia where they won the “Musica Sacra” category, attained a world second place for the Children’s Choir category and a world fourth place for Scenic Folklore.
Many accolades
They won all seven categories of the 2014 ATKV Animato Choir Competition, including best children’s choir in South Africa and choir of the competition. The choir was awarded the coveted Kanna award for best musical production at the 2013 Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, competing against 20 professional groups and artists.
The choir has recorded nine professional CDs, one DVD and has undertaken six European concert tours since its inception in 1996.
The choir’s mandate is to attain its goal of becoming one of the best children’s choirs in the world, promoting SA multicultural choral and ethnic music of the highest standards, in the international choral arena, by developing choristers from previously disadvantaged communities.
Some of the local children included in the choir – all from Knysna Primary School – are Nicci Barnard (10), Dylan Bartie (11), Simola Du Plessis (11), Angelo Engel (13), Samantha Grobler (12), Simone Grobler (12), Eduard Lohan (12), Joanne Nel (12), Georgia Dillon (9) and Hannah Dillon (11).
The SCCC needs your assistance to get these little choristers to the world championship as there is a registration fee, accommodation, transport costs, meals and concert opportunities to pay for.
How you can help
Contact Thomas Grobler on 061 453 4380, or email tomdez@webmail.co.za.
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