Jared Hanekom a music teacher from Stellenbosch High School conducts the e’Bosch School Choir Festival 2023 for secondary schools at last Friday’s performance. PICTURE: Anthony Penderis
Secondary school learners from Cloetesville, Lückhoff,, Stellenzicht, and Stellenbosch High kicked off the annual e’Bosch Schools Choir Festival 2023 at Stellenbosch High School on Friday September 1, with the South African Youth Choir as guest artists.
Renowned for being the largest school choir gathering in the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek area, this will be followed by the performance of 18 primary schools, at 6pm, on Friday September 28, at the Coetzenburg Sports Centre.
“We are especially pleased that the South African Youth Choir under Phil Robinson was part of our programme this year. This fitted in well with our mission to continue inspiring a renewed affection for choral music and singing” says John Frans, event director for the e’Bosch Schools Choir Festival and a prolific contributor to the development of musical talent in local communities.
Other highlights on Friday night’s programme were songs such as Weeping (Dan Heyman/Alna Smit), Hashivenu (Greg Gilpin), The Skye Boat (Brandon Moore), White Winter Hymnal (Robin Pecknold), Ukuthula (Traditional), Aandgesang (Chris Lamprecht), United Light (Xander Kritzinger) and the South African National Anthem.
The e’Bosch Schools Choir Festival, presented in 2012 for the first time, has grown into one of the flagship events of the e’Bosch Heritage Project.
Every year, up to 1 000 pupils from some 30 secondary and primary schools in the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek districts get together in a festival of song to celebrate their cultural diversity and strengthen social cohesion.
Contact John Frans at 084 824 5611 or jfrans12@icloud.com for more information on the e’Bosch School Choir Festival.