The Old Mutual National Choir Festival provincial knock-outs were staged on 5 August 2017 at the Sand Du Plessis Theatre in Mangaung. This choral festival is an annual program and 13 choirs from across the province took part this year. Winners of the two main categories – Standard and Large –walked away with prize monies to the tune of R50 000 and R30 000 respectively.
The Old Mutual National Choir Festival provincial knock-outs took place at a time when the Free State MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Mrs N.S. Leeto has made a commitment on behalf of the department that we will support choral music and its development throughout the Free State Province and prioritize the revival of choral music in the province.
Winners:
Large section:
1) Free State Choristers R50 000 (Also overall winners)
2) Belcanto Voices R35 000
3) Serumula Choir R30 000
Standard section:
1) Thabong Chorus R30 000
2) Ben Marcato R25 000
3) Marvelous Chorus R20 000
The DSACR choir also attained third position in the African piece under the standard section where Ben Marcato and Thabang Chorus won second and first place respectively. Other choirs that competed in this section are: Nyakallong choir, DSACR choir, Rearabetswe choir, Thabong Chorus, Free State SAPS choir, Kutlwanong Serenade choir, UFS choir, and Motheo TVET choir.
When the winning conductor of the Free State Choristers, Katlego Maghukela was asked how it feels to win the Free State leg of the Old Mutual National Choral Festival, he stated, “It takes many hours to prepare music for a few minutes of performing. That is what is exiting about this competition.
Thanks to Old Mutual and the department for the R50 000. We will utilize the money for preparation for nationals. I am very proud of the choir members, proud of their hard work and selflessness. Thank God for our talent.”
