U of Johannesburg Arts To Hosts Top 5 University Choirs

University of Johannesburg Choir

University choirs from across the country are set to descend on UJ for the biennial KUESTA Choir Festival from 6 to 8 September 2013.

The members of the KUESTA Society are: University of Pretoria, University of Johannesburg, KOVSIES, NMMU, University of Stellenbosch and North West University. 2013 will see TUKS Camerata, UJ Choir, NMMU Choir, PUK-Koor and US Choir, all of whom have maintained world-class standard in choral singing over the years, participate.

“Participating in events like KUESTA is of great importance,” says UJ Choirmaster Renette Bouwer. “It allows us to measure ourselves against the other giants and it is also an opportunity to ensure that we are recognized and respected,” she explains. Bouwer adds, “We have enjoyed the hospitality of other universities for the past decade and it is an honour to be able to host KUESTA this year.”

The first KUESTA took place in the seventies and was supported through sponsorship. In the late eighties the sponsorship that had been secured came to an end and KUESTA went into hibernation. Due to the stature and expectations surrounding the event it was first revived by Rand Afrikaans University (RAU) Choir, on a smaller scale in the early 2000’s, where the member choirs were invited to participate at their your own cost and following that the KUESTA Society took the decision to present the Choir Festival every second year, with each of the member choirs taking a turn to host.

During the course of the KUESTA weekend, choirs will share music and build friendships. Two concerts, attended by the singers only, (the first with light music and the second with serious music) are presented where the member choirs sing for each other.

For KUESTA 2013, Bouwer commissioned the Canadian Composer, Eleanor Daley for the mass choir work. The text of this new work, Things That Never Die, was written by Charles Dickens. It will be performed at the KUESTA Gala Concert, open to the public, on the 8th of September at 16:00 in the Sanlam Auditorium on UJ Kingsway campus.

KUESTA Festivals are scrutinized by choir enthusiasts nationally as member choirs are informally rated by their performances during this event. KUESTA 2013, with its slogan, Full Voice! Full Colour! promises to be an event for the vocal connoisseur.