01 Jul 2019

Music is a universal language understood by all.

It is a language of love, hope and comfort, yet can also be a language of pain and advocacy.

This was stated by the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, deputy permanent secretary Kgopotso Ramoroka during the President’s Day Choral finals over the weekend.

Ramoroka stated that music was a way of life for Batswana and all Africans.

He said choral music had come a long way in Botswana, adding that in the past, it was only sung in foreign languages.

 This, he said had changed with choral music grown and embraced in local arrangements, composition and renditions.

Ramoroka commended the President’s Day competitions for their contribution to the growth and development of choral music in the country.

He however, expressed concern that other components such as playing of the piano, conductors and song composers still required the know-how of foreigners and appealed for capacity building  in such to help build choral music in Botswana.

Ramoroka said it was time for local talent to be exported internationally. He however, noted that such required quality and sophistication.

The choral music competitions were categorised into two; standard and large section. 

In the standard section, there was a standard song Ngala Dzangu composed by Gabriel Malikongwa and Lerabi song, while the large section had a western opera piece Nabucco Acts by G. Verdi and a locally composed standard song Fatshe le Khumo by Albert Mosime.

Kuke Choral from Ghanzi District bagged overall position in the standard section followed by Maun Choral, and third position went to Masire Serenaders from Kanye while Naswibo Choral choir from Masunga got position four.

In the large section, Gaborone Youth Singers scooped first position, Ramotswa’s Andante Chorus got position two, while Multi Genre from Otse finished third. Gaborone Philharmonic Voices and Serowe Symphony got positions four and five respectively. Ends