The Eastern Cape Junior Children’s Choir (ECjCC) will present a concert with the Stellenbosch University Choir on Monday, 8 August, at 19h00 in the Dutch Reformed Church Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth.
The Stellenbosch University Choir, the oldest university choir, founded in 1936, has won international acclaim through performances, concert tours and participation in prestigious festivals and competitions. At the World Choir Games in Graz, Austria (2008) they won the 1st prize in the open category Musica Sacra and a 2nd prize in the category Gospel Spiritual. In 2004 they won the category for Youth Choirs at the World Choir Games in Bremen, Germany.
In July 2010, they took part in the 6th World Choir Games in China and won the categories Contemporary Music as well as Mixed Choirs. The choir won the latter category with 95.75% which was 8% more than the choir who came second and the highest percentage awarded during the competition.
The Stellenbosch University Choir is currently rated second on the 2010 – 2011 World Ranking list for Choirs.
Close ties exist between the Stellenbosch University Choir and the Eastern Cape Children’s Choirs. The conductor of the ECjCC, Hanlie Young, has, as a student, been a member and repetitor of the Stellenbosch University Choir. Several Eastern Cape Children’s Choir alumni went on to become members of the Stellenbosch University Choir.
During their visit, the 127 members of the Stellenbosch University Choir will be hosted by families of the ECjCC choristers, parents of the students living in Port Elizabeth as well as friends of both choirs.
André van der Merwe has been the conductor of the Stellenbosch University Choir since 2003. He followed in the footsteps of famous conductors like Gawie Cillié, Philip MacLachlan, Johan de Villiers, Acama Fick and Sonja van der Walt. He is often invited to act as adjudicator across the world. Recently he has been invited to England, Sweden, Germany, Japan, Wales, Graz in Austria, Namibia and China.
At present André is the conductor of three choirs: The Stellenbosch University Choir, the South African Youth Choir and the Stellenberg Girls Choir.
Tickets for the concert (Adults: R60; Children/pensioners/students: R30) are available from Foto First Summerstrand, Photo Doctor in Greenacres, ECjCC members, or contact Celestè Botha on 084 602 9940.
The joy on the faces of these Stellenbosch Choir members is infectious.
