South Africa is renowned for being a singing nation, and many voices, such as that of Pretty Yende who recently participated in the coronation ceremony of King Charles, have been discovered through the many choirs and choirs that exist in the country, in schools, churches or within communities. A festival was organized in Johannesburg, this Sunday, to highlight these groups, who sing all types of music, in the different local languages.
With our correspondent in Johannesburg, Claire Bargeles
Tshego Korobele is a soprano for the Bokamoso Choir, a sacred choir that won Africa at a competition in Rwanda last year. Like many others, the young 24-year-old woman discovered her passion thanks to school choirs, before joining this choir in the township of Mabopane. ” We get together, we enjoy music together, we sing, we dance, we pray… It also brings a lot of calm. And he has a lot of talent in these choirs. »
And these choirs can also with a social purpose according to Siyabonga Dlamini. This accountant by profession launched his own group in Soweto and he is the musical director. “ The majority of members are young people, and most are unemployed. It unites us and I like the discipline that this type of music brings. Who knows what they would become if they had nothing else to do? »
Delisile Kubheka is pursuing a solo mezzo-soprano career, after having also started in school choirs. And she’s sure there are many more voices like hers waiting to be discovered. ” South Africa is a country of singing, and we have very interesting voices that often emerge from it. In church, too, there are these types of choirs and classical songs. And it’s not surprising to find them later at funerals, or other events, it’s something normal for us. »
Local singers are also inspired by groups like the Soweto Gospel Choir or the more recent Ndlovu Youth Choir, which have managed to break through internationally.