The Voices of the River choir from the North-West University (NWU) recently participated in The Lengau Choral Music Association (LECMA) competition. They came second in the wafa wafa large category.

They performed an extract from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera, Macbeth, even though it is regarded as one of the most dramatic and vocally intensive operas in the world, they did it with ease.

This chorale group from the Vanderbijlpark Campus has gone from strength to strength under the baton of Calvin Mofokeng, who also won the award for Best Choir Conductor.

As a choir trainer, Calvin started working with the Voices of the River choir in 2018. In 2019, the current serving chairperson asked him to be the official assistant conductor., Clavin was appointed as the official conductor in 2021.

“We want to applaud the students who participated, especially those who performed solos,” says Calvin.

“Our soloists were exceptional – some of them are currently studying music, while others are alumni of the NWU’s School of Music,” he adds.

This was the second year the choir competed in the large category, after winning the competition in 2021 in the standard category.

He says as a choir, they always strive to be unique and bring a fresh perspective to their performances.

“This shows the growth within the choir and where it can lead. We are very proud of these students and wish them even greater success in the future,” says Calvin.

Mr Calvin Mofokeng won best conductor of the year 2023

The Voices of the River choir