For the past thirty-one years, thousands of cheerful choristers have gathered annually in one national venue to participate in the Old Mutual National Choir Festival.

This year’s competition was no different, with the CPUT choir making its mark in the standard section of the competition.

The Old Mutual National Choir Festival Finals took place at the Heartfelt Arena in Tshwane on 6 and 7 December 2008.

The City of Tshwane became a hive of activity in the days leading up to the highlight of the choral music calendar, as the CPUT choir, accompanied by Choir Manager Thobeka September, prepared tirelessly to defend their previous year’s accolade.

Known as South Africa’s oldest, largest and most prestigious choral music competition, the festival celebrates over three decades of playing a part in developing musical talent in this country.

The purpose for this annual event is to encourage and promote choral music excellence, while providing memorable musical moments for participants and audiences alike.

More than 5 000 choral music supporters filled the Heartfelt Arena to witness the region’s top choirs challenge each other from for the top positions in the 31st Old Mutual National Choir Festival Finals.

Over 300 choirs took part in this year’s the choral competition, which began with the district eliminations in March, followed by workshops in each province and the regional championships, and culminated with the national championship, which produced two overall national winners.

In total, 23 choirs competed for the chance to be champions in their respective categories, namely, the large category, where 12 choirs competed for the title, and the standard category, where eleven choirs took part.

CPUT’s choir gave sterling performances in the Western and African/vernacular section of the standard category of the competition, winning fifth place for Best African Piece and third place for Best Western Piece.

The Mayibuye I-Africa choir from KwaZulu-Natal was crowned the 2008 National Champions in the standard category, winning prize money of R27 000 and a trophy for their incredible renditions of How Lovely Are The Messengers from St. Paul by F. Mendelssohn in the Western category and Unwel’ Olude Mahatma Ghandi by Q. Sibisi in the African/vernacular category.

Some feedback received from the choir members was that “standards were extremely high this year” and in general the events were a great success in terms of boosting the provinces’ micro-economies in the various host regions.

CPUT choir member and Graduate Marketing Student Zuko Mbolekwa said that he was “very impressed with choir’s performance; we just need to polish up our act for next year’s competition”.

He added that he wished that the choir could receive added support from students, staff and management of the institution to boost the members’ morale.

A KwaZulu-Natal choral ensemble, African Chorus, performed as the guest choir, after being crowned winners of the ‘Champ of Champs’ category at 2007 National Finals.

According to the competition’s organisers, the aim was to allocate prescribed songs that were varied and challenging, while highlighting the choral music talent that the country has to offer.

The competition also provides the competing choristers with an opportunity to develop and expand their choral abilities. During its 31 years, the festival has built up a large following of choral music lovers who form part of the audiences in all the regions.

The competition dates for 2009 are to be announced in February.

By: Thando J. Moiloa, Marketing and Communication Department

Photograph: The CPUT Choir

Written by CPUT News
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The CPUT choir took part in a rare performance hosted by Artscape Theatre, Cape Town entitled 'A Choral Tribute to Madiba', on 18 and 19 June 2011. The former state president Dr. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was honoured through song with this performance produced by the Indigenous Arts Department (under the National Department of Arts and Culture) and Artscape, in partnership.

The aim of the tribute was to celebrate the life of Madiba as a global struggle icon and showcase the indigenous folklore, which includes struggle songs, sounds and customs of our country’s different ethnic groups depicted through customary regalia. Choirs and various artists were accompanied by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and traditional folk instruments.

“We are very proud of our choir’s commitment and dedication to choral music. Since the merging of the two main choirs (Cape Town and Bellville), we have become one powerful CPUT Choir made up of talented students and staff, even becoming champions of the renowned Old Mutual Choir Festival in 2009”, said Thobeka September, Student Development Officer: Arts & Culture.
 
“The choir conductor’s Bulelani Lamani, along with the choir chairperson Monde Mthabi and the rest of the choir executive members, work tirelessly to ensure that the choir maintains the high standard of performance”, added September.

Choir member and BTech: Public Management graduate Nomhle Gcuwa said of the experience: “We had a great performance this past weekend and a lot of people were surprised. We are hoping to lift the CPUT banner up high in the upcoming events and our biggest event of the year; National Choir Festival”.

She added, “I just want to thank Sis' Thobeka on behalf of the choir for everything that she and the rest of the team have done in the past years I have been in the choir. You have shown us commitment and support and we have learnt a lot from you all. I have no words for how much we appreciate your support and dedication to the choir”.

The CPUT choir, together with eight other provincial choirs, also recently took part in the two-day Western Cape Choral Music Association (WECCMA) Festival. This festival incorporated rehearsals at Artscape with the Philharmonic Orchestra, followed by a competition at the Cape Town City Hall on Sunday, 29th May 2011. Choirs performed three pieces - western, vernacular and traditional/cultural pieces.

The choir has been actively involved in choral performances at Artscape over the last decade and is currently preparing for the South African Tertiary Institution Choral Association (SATICA) Choir Competition to be held at the Tshwane University of Technology from 05-10 July.

For more information on the CPUT Choir, please contact: Student Development Officer: Arts & Culture Ms. Thobeka September via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on Tel. (021) 460 3548.

By: Thando J. Moiloa

Written by CPUT News
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The CPUT Choir has once again proven itself to be one of the best choirs in the country by winning a number of categories in the recent Satica Eisteddfod Choral Festival.

After being crowned the overall winner in last year’s competition, the CPUT Choir again won both first places in the HIV/Aids and the African Piece categories of the Large Section.

CPUT went on to take the overall second position in the Large Section, while the first and third positions in this category respectively went to The University of the Western Cape Choir and the Vaal University of Technology Choir.

CPUT also secured themselves second place in the rendition of the Own Choice Piece and third place in both the Duet and Western categories of the Large Section.

Hosted by the Department of Student Affairs in the Major Sports Hall last week, the Choral Festival started with a social concert, followed by smaller groups like female, male and duet voices on Tuesday. The standard and large categories were heard for the remainder of the week.

Satica President Velani Mbiza says the standards were so high that it was difficult to tell who was going to win.

“The type of music chosen for the competition gave a great level of output from the choirs. The quality of music could reveal the level of preparation the choirs went through,” he says.

CPUT Student Development Officer Thando Moiloa thanked the entire CPUT team for making the event a success.

By Thami Nkwanyane

Written by CPUT News
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A highlight of the Installation Ceremony of the first Chancellor of the University will be a performance from the merged CPUT Choir. The Choir, which consists of male and female voices from multiple campuses will be performing two pieces. They will be accompanied by Choir Manager Thobeka September and by Dr Nina du Toit, Co-ordinator of the Disability Unit.

Despite the fact that the University has existed as a merged institution since 2005, the choirs of the Bellville and Cape Town Campuses have, for the past three years, practiced and performed separately. On 12 June 2008 the choirs merged and are now known as the CPUT Choir.

During the June vacation, the merged choir represented CPUT at the South African Tertiary Institution Choral Association (SATICA) competition in Limpopo at the University of Venda . The other universities that participated in the competition included Walter Sisulu University (WSU), Vaal University of Technology (VUT) and Durban University of technology (DUT).

Chorister Unathi Xulubana said it was a good experience and exposure for the choir. She added that this is a choir that will be representing CPUT during future competitions and many other special occasions. “We as the CPUT choir, we will represent and continue to be ambassadors of CPUT in arts and culture” said Xulubana.

Last year, the Bellville and Cape Town Choirs entered separately in the Old Mutual/Telkom National Choir Festival and were both awarded accolades. Cape Town Choir was placed third and Bellville Choir was crowned national champion. The merged choir continues to be of interest to Old Mutual and has been hand-picked by the company for use in Old Mutual’s new marketing initiatives.

Among the other Arts and Culture contributions scheduled for the Installation are Djembe drumming from the CPUT student dance group Distorted Movement and praise singing from Lonwabo Mdunyelwa of the Arts and Culture Leadership Programme. The CPUT Choir will perform the song “Plea for Africa ” and the male voice piece “Soldiers’ Chorus.”

September is proud of what the CPUT Choir has achieved. “They are extremely talented,” she said, “We can expect great things from them in the future.”

By Ruth Chisesa and Ilana Abratt, Marketing and Communication Department

Written by CPUT News
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After a slump, the CPUT choir is hitting all the right notes again.

The choir reached the regional finals of large section of the Old Mutual National Choir Festival recently and are now on their way to Durban to compete for the national trophy in December.

The choir went through a rough patch after two significant conductors left but now chairperson Masibulele Rubuluza says he is ecstatic to say they are back, better than ever.

“Getting over the loss of our conductor hit us hard and this win means so much to us. It shows we are coming back,” he says.

The 65-strong choir performed two songs (one African - Madiba by Mnomiya and one Western - Gloria by Rossini) to see them win the regional finals.

“The Old Mutual National Choir Festival is one of the oldest competitions of its kind in the country and is one of the few ones in the country still celebrating choral music,” he says.

The best news of all is that the conductors Bulelani Lamani and Bongani Magatyana have returned to coach the choir back to its former glory.

The choir is currently ranked sixth in the Old Mutual National Choir Festival league. 

Written by Lauren Kansley
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

CPUT’s Institutional Gender-Based Violence Position Statement will officially be launched today (August 16).

Students and staff have been invited to attend the event, which will be held at the Major Sports Hall on the Bellville campus between 10 am and 2 pm.

The host of speakers will include Buti Manamela: Deputy Minister of Higher Education & Training and Anne Githuku-Shongwe, Country Director: UN Women.

In addition to the speakers the CPUT Choir, the CPUT Drama Group and other groups will perform.

“According to research findings by the SA Medical Research Council, one woman is killed by her intimate partner every eight hours, the highest incidence in the world,” said Melanie Marais, Head of the HIV/Aids Unit.

“The statement provides the university’s position and response to gender-based violence at the institution, highlighting the safety of students and staff, especially survivors of gender-based violence. It also intends to take a serious stance against alleged perpetrators.”

She said the Men’s Forum aims to involve men in being part of the solution in the fight against gender-based violence.

“We’ve already started a campaign, called the Amajitas Men’s Campaign, where a number of discussions amongst and about men took place and some male students and staff have already joined the forum.”

The men will read a pledge against gender-based violence during today’s function.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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