May 19, 2005
By Lucille Davie
THERE were whoops of delight and shrill ululating from the audience, and at times I found it hard to keep my feet still. It was a performance by the Wits Choir - more than just singing, it had dancing, humming, drumming, finger clicking, and much smiling.
The choir sang and danced its way through a traditional Cameroonian song, Louez le Seigneur; a Bahamian spiritual song, All my Trials; Witness, a African-American spiritual; Malaika, a Swahili song; U Kana Kameme, a Damara song from Namibia, and songs in Xhosa, Pedi, Zulu and Afrikaans. The experience transported the audience to another, dreamy place.
Choir conductor Dalene Hoogenhout believes that a good choir is one that "does justice to the music, means what it is doing and sings with soul". Well, I can tell her unreservedly that the Wits Choir does all of these things, and more.
The choir, in existence for 11 years, has about 40 members, who collectively speak 10 languages. When it comes to singing, however, they sing with one voice, and clearly enjoy every note they produce.
But that is not hard to understand after you meet Hoogenhout - she exudes enthusiasm, professionalism, a deep love of music, and enjoyment of working with the students.
"I love working with the students. It is hard work but very, very rewarding to see how people grow in confidence on stage," she says.
That feeling is obviously mutual. Head tenor Clement Mogothle sums up the feeling all choir members clearly feel: "Singing fills an empty space inside," he says, smiling and gesturing to his heart. "If we don't get together, even for just two weeks, I miss it."
Second soprano Belinda Belseck concurs: "There is a totally different energy in the choir."
The Wits Choir is no traditional choir that simply stands and sings. It moves in marvellous ways as well. Usually its entrance is accompanied by rhythmic singing and members dance on to the stage.
They also don't dress in stiff suits but colourful African print shirts and skirts, offset with black trousers and tops, showing the world that they are different.
The choir holds dance workshops and steps are choreographed as a group. Individual members show the others how they sing a song at home, with the accompanying steps.
"I won't allow them to just stand and sing," says Hoogenhout, adding that nowadays people are so spoilt for entertainment, "we have to stimulate" them.
She has been told that she has revolutionised choir singing, but she counters this by saying that African choirs have always danced. When the choir goes to Europe, the audiences enjoy the dancing. "Europeans don't have what we have," she says.
Performances and tours
In 2003 the choir toured Argentina and on its return presented a show at the Market Theatre called
Otra, otra, Spanish for Encore, encore. It was a singing success - the choir made a profit - and Hoogenhout says she wants to do more shows, time permitting.
Membership is not restricted to students - there is a member from Wits administration, another is a former pupil from St Stithians, and students graduate but still sing in the choir. Membership is also drawn from all faculties - only four members are music students.
The reason, they say, is that the choir provides an instant family. First bass Thami Mhlanga sums it up: "Music is the best thing. Being here is like being part of a family." Second tenor Kevin Walker agrees: "This is like one extended family."
The choir performs at all the Wits graduation ceremonies and inaugurations. It has performed for Nelson Mandela, and at the opening and closing of the Gauteng provincial legislature. For the past four years it has performed at the Indian Embassy for that country's independence celebrations. In April it was the turn of Executive Mayor Councillor Amos Masondo when he hosted 12 former heads of state in the African Presidential Roundtable 2005.
With two CDs under the belt already, the group plans to record another this year. Also on the cards is a tour of the Czech Republic at the end of the year; and two showcase concerts in June, as a fund-raising drive. Previous tours to Namibia and Kenya have added songs to the repertoire.
When the choir is planning an overseas tour, it prepares South African songs. But otherwise it sings songs like Sing a Song of Sixpence, Boegoeberg se Emma, Alleluia (a Malawian arrangement), Kwa Mashu and Homeless. With a repertoire of songs that make up a show of one and a half hours, there is quite a tall order for new members to learn.
The multi-cultural nature of the songs has a profound effect on the students. Mhlanga says, "The choir represents a true reflection of what South Africa is about. Music is positive and we are building the positives in the country. It is a bridge to all cultures."
Always sung in choirs
Hoogenhout says she has "always sung in choirs", but started playing the piano late, at 11 or 12. Her choir-conducting career started when she was 18, a first-year music student at Wits, in the 1970s. She was asked to conduct a group of primary school children. "I just loved the group dynamics."
She went on to conduct eight choirs, taking on the Wits Choir 11 years ago. She's now director of music at St Stithians. Hoogenhout, who completed an education degree cum laude at Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg), has often adjudicated at choir festivals and competitions. She has also conducted many mass choirs as guest conductor. She presents workshops for trainee conductors.
Since 1976
The Wits Choir has actually been in existence since 1976, run by the music department. Students had to be members of either the choir or the orchestra, but this did not work - they rebelled, and the choir dissolved. In the early 1990s black students began the Wits Choral, with no connections to the music department. This developed into the Wits Choir in 1994, and Hoogenhout was approached to be conductor.
The choir is still not allied to the music department, and gets no support except for her salary and a rehearsal room, from the university administration. This is a bone of contention for Hoogenhout. "We are not getting the support we need."
It is at that rehearsal room, only once a week for three hours, that the students learn to sing songs from across Africa and of course, in the 11 indigenous languages of South Africa. Hoogenhout brings in a mother-tongue speaker when she needs to, to perfect the pronunciation.
Choir members speak of singing rounding off their education at Wits. Although it is an effort to learn to sing in other languages, it's worthwhile because it means learning about other cultures. "It is a bridge to all cultures," says Mhlanga.
As I reluctantly left the performance - I could have listened to the singing all afternoon - I overheard an audience member say: "They are perfect ambassadors for the new South Africa."
Indeed. I just wish I could sing, and that Wits Choir would take 50-something-year-old members.
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