In celebration of its 35th birthday, the Kimberley Children’s Choir (KCC) is hosting a concert on Saturday, 14 September.
Since the KCC was established in January 1989, it has been creating a rich history and continues to be an ambassador for Kimberley and its surrounds, and specifically its children, says Estelle Vorster, former conductor and now KCC coordinator.
It has also been an example of the manner in which children from different socio-economic, religious, and racial backgrounds can work together in harmony to jointly achieve success.
The KCC was established under the auspices of the Department of Education. In 1994, it became an independent, multi-cultural organisation generating its own funds. In 2006, the children’s choir became part of the Kimberley Academy of Music (KAM), a section 21 non-profit company.
Vorster says the birthday celebration concert will be a very special performance under the direction of the KAM’s new KCC conductor, Nathan Carlo, and the new KCC accompanist, Clarise Jonas.
Developing young talent
The KCC wants to establish itself as a choir of world standard through the development of the talent of its members, for the enjoyment and enrichment of themselves and the community.
Its mission is to establish a choir consisting of musically gifted singers aged nine to 16 years from Kimberley and surrounding areas, and to develop and refine the product to meet international standards.
Objectives
- to promote choir singing and appreciation for music in Kimberley and in the Northern Cape;
- to promote choir singing at a high standard of excellence;
- to create the opportunity for public performances for musically gifted singers;
- to expose the choir to national and international competitions;
- to expose choir singers to a repertoire of diverse styles and genres;
- to support the understanding and experience of cultural diversity through singing; and
- to exploit the discipline in music to develop the character and value systems of the choir members and leadership.
The choir is fully representative of the racial and cultural diversity of Kimberley, as is evident from the fact that 72% of its current members are from a previously disadvantaged background.
The first choir conductor was René Brand, who directed the choir for nine years. Her accompanists were Hettie Rossouw, Elize Hancke, Vorster, and Karien Sinclair. Rossouw directed the choir for another 14 years, with Vorster and Anne Solomon as accompanists.
In April 2013, Vorster took over from Rossouw and directed the choir until the end of 2023. Magdel Botha, Matthew van Wyk, and Rossouw were her accompanists during this ten-year period.
Nathan Carlo, KCC assistant and conductor of African Music from 2021 to 2023, was appointed as the new KCC conductor from 1 January with Clarise Jonas as the new KCC accompanist from 1 April.
A new post, KCC coordinator, was approved by the KAM board of directors to coordinate the tasks between KAM, the KCC Artistic Committee and KCC Steering Committee for smooth administration. Vorster was appointed to fill this position.
Value of choral singing
In a recent study by Chorus America, the following facts were established:
- choral singers exhibit higher levels of civic involvement, with choristers almost three times more likely to be committee members of local community organisations;
- 74% of choral singers agree that singing in a chorus has helped them become better team leaders or team participants in other areas of their lives.
- nearly two-thirds agree that being in a chorus has helped them socialise better in other areas of their lives;
- choral singers donate 2,5 times more money to philanthropic organisations than the general public;
- 96% of choral singers surveyed who are eligible voters said they vote regularly in national and local elections; only 70% of the general public cites the same level of participation;
- choral singers are at least two times more likely to attend theatre, opera, and orchestra performances as well as visit museums and art galleries; and
- on childhood development the results show children who sing in choirs display many of the enhanced social skills found in adult singers, substantiating earlier conclusions that singing in childhood is likely to have an enormous influence on the choices individuals make later in life. Children who sing in choruses have academic success and valuable life skills.
A few accomplishment of the KCC
1991: overall winner in their category at the International Roodepoort Eisteddfod, with the releasing of three CD’s – in 1995, 1998, and 2003;
1998 (April): part of an educational programme for SABC television;
1999: invited to sing during a luncheon given in honour of the then president Nelson Mandela in Postmasburg during his birthday celebrations;
2000 (July): participated internationally for the first time in Linz, Austria, during the first World Choir Games held every two years – they achieved a gold medal and was placed third in the world in this category. They were also invited to participate in the Falun Folk Music Festival in Sweden;
2002: passed the University of South Africa (Unisa) exam for advanced choirs with distinction;
2004: invited to perform during the National Choir Week in Cape Town with the Tygerberg Children’s Choir and the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus from America;
2005: staged a concert, “Around the World in 80 minutes”, and passed the Unisa exam for advanced choirs with 90% which placed them on Unisa’s roll of honours;
2006 (April): passed another Unisa exam for advanced choirs with distinction;
2006 (July): qualified to participate in the fourth World Choir Games in Xiamen, China, where they received a silver award;
2007: staged a variety show “Rock around the Clock” in which music from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s was performed;
2008 (July): qualified to participate in the fifth World Choir Games in Graz, Austria, in two categories (sacred music and children’s choirs). They went through to the final round in the children’s choir category and achieved a gold medal with 80,38%. KCC has also been invited to perform during Freedom Day celebrations, to lead the singing of the national anthem at the official opening of Parliament, as well as during the official opening of the U21 Africa Soccer Cup in Kimberley. They also entered the Unisa choir exam and passed with 90%;
2010: lead the singing of the national anthem during the official 50-day countdown of the Fifa World Cup in Kimberley;
2012: sang in the Choir Magic programme, as part of the KAM Music Week festival with the Ad Libitum Chorale and the Odeion Choir of the University of the Free State (UFS);
2013: sang at the opening of the Sol Plaatje University (SPU) in Kimberley; sang the full-length work, “A Ceremony of Carols”, composed by the British composer, Benjamin Britten, in collaboration with the Ad Libitum Chorale women at the Britten Centenary Concert in the St Cyprians Cathedral;
2014: participated in the final round of the national ATKV Animato competition for regional choirs in Parow, Cape Town, and received a gold certificate; received the fourth highest marks of all participating choirs in the final round in Cape Town;
2015: selected as winners in the final round of the ATKV Animato competition in Pretoria;
sang at the opening of the Northern Cape Legislator at the new Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre, DA congress, and the opening of the Cape Law Society at the Flamingo Casino in Kimberley;
2016: performed at the opening of the graduation ceremony of the City of Hope Church; entered for the ninth World Choir Games in Sochi, Russia, in July and selected by the artistic director of Interkultur (Germany) to partake in the Champions Competition (highest category standard). The choir could not participate due to a lack of funding;
2018: participated in the tenth World Choir Games (WCG) in Tshwane; was invited to partake in this first-ever WCG in Africa by Günther Tish (president) and Prof. Ralf Eisenbeiss (artistic director) of the Interkultur Foundation, Germany. The choir is rated by the artist director and his committee to compete in the Champions Competition (highest level at the WCG);
received access to compete in the Champions Competition at the 11th WCG in Flanders, Belgium in 2020;
2019: sang with South African tenor, Jannie Moolman, in November at the annual KAM Christmas Celebration Concert;
2022: KCC Christmas Celebration Concert with Anna Davel and KAM instrumental and vocal ensembles;
2023: performance at the official launch of the Northern Cape Symphony Youth Orchestra (NCSYO) with guest artist Sibongile Mngoma; take part in the KAM in Concert event with the Bloemfontein Children’s Choir; sang at the Oudtshoorn-George Tour Cantamus National Choir Festival and Competition in George in August, received gold (81%); sang at the Christmas Concert with Esté Gross;
- The concert on Saturday, 14 September, starts at 19:00 in the St Cyprians Cathedral. The NCSYO perform as the guest artist. Purchase tickets at the door for R150 per person, or R100 for former KCC members.
