First choir competition a big success - by Staff Reporter
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WINDHOEK – The first Imba Namibia Choir Festival held in Windhoek recently, was a huge success if the enthusiasm of the participating choirs was anything to go by.
The lack of “bums on seats” was compensated for by the energy and verve displayed on stage by especially the choirs from outside the big centres.
Participating choirs included the Harmony Youth Chorale from Okahandja, Trans Kalahari Youth Choir from Gobabis, Southern Youth Choir from Keetmanshoop, Mascato Coastal Choir, College for the Arts Choir and Young Singers of Namibia.
Participating choirs were free to compile their own repertoire but were expected to perform at least two prescribed works. It was during the performance of the prescribed songs that the experience and skill of the more established choirs could be discerned as opposed to the younger choirs.
The Imba Namibia Choir Festival is the brainchild of Lydia Aualu and Rolf Hansen who, inspired by their passion for choral music in Namibia, decided to organise the competition to plough back into the nation what they have learnt and experienced on both international and national platforms. They have both sung alongside some of the world’s best voices.
The two believe that the excitement of singing, especially on an international platform, brings about the social, spiritual, economic and personal growth of every individual.
Aualu and Hansen said their organisation aimed to give as many young people as possible the opportunity to improve their singing or conducting skills while at the same time offering a platform to assist other choirs in fundraising and general networking with the global community.
The recently held competition has led to the formation of a Namibian choir which will participate in the World Choir Olympics in China in 2010. Aualu and Hansen expressed the hope that the Imba Festival would become an annual event.
In the long term, they also plan to start an exchange programme with choirs from all over the world and to enrich local choir members where they lack choral knowledge.
The first prize of N$10 000 was won by the Mascato Choir.
Second place went to Young Singers of Namibia and third place to College of the Arts Choir.
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The lack of “bums on seats” was compensated for by the energy and verve displayed on stage by especially the choirs from outside the big centres.
Participating choirs included the Harmony Youth Chorale from Okahandja, Trans Kalahari Youth Choir from Gobabis, Southern Youth Choir from Keetmanshoop, Mascato Coastal Choir, College for the Arts Choir and Young Singers of Namibia.
Participating choirs were free to compile their own repertoire but were expected to perform at least two prescribed works. It was during the performance of the prescribed songs that the experience and skill of the more established choirs could be discerned as opposed to the younger choirs.
The Imba Namibia Choir Festival is the brainchild of Lydia Aualu and Rolf Hansen who, inspired by their passion for choral music in Namibia, decided to organise the competition to plough back into the nation what they have learnt and experienced on both international and national platforms. They have both sung alongside some of the world’s best voices.
The two believe that the excitement of singing, especially on an international platform, brings about the social, spiritual, economic and personal growth of every individual.
Aualu and Hansen said their organisation aimed to give as many young people as possible the opportunity to improve their singing or conducting skills while at the same time offering a platform to assist other choirs in fundraising and general networking with the global community.
The recently held competition has led to the formation of a Namibian choir which will participate in the World Choir Olympics in China in 2010. Aualu and Hansen expressed the hope that the Imba Festival would become an annual event.
In the long term, they also plan to start an exchange programme with choirs from all over the world and to enrich local choir members where they lack choral knowledge.
The first prize of N$10 000 was won by the Mascato Choir.
Second place went to Young Singers of Namibia and third place to College of the Arts Choir.
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