LOCAL CONDUCTOR CHOSEN

MBABANE – Mbabane Methodist Church Choir conductor Menzi Gule has been selected to participate in a Conductor’s Extravaganza in South Africa (SA).

The extravaganza will be hosted by Bokamoso Arts Institute, the 2023 World Choir Champions, an organisation that caters for various needs of the music (Choral and Opera) industry in SA. The show, scheduled for June 8, 2024, will be held at the Unisa ZK Mathews Great Hall in the Winnie Madikizela Mandela Building of the University in Pretoria. Gule will be among the other 15 top conductors from SA who will each conduct a curated song by Bokamoso’s Musical Director, Kgaugelo Mpyane, who picked ‘Isidlo Senkosi’ by Christian Ngqobe for Gule to conduct. “I have been assigned by the music director at Bokamoso to conduct this piece of music. It is a composition many people in the choral space might be familiar with. It touches on aspects I am very well informed on, and we are working with the choir to create a refreshed appetite for the piece. It promises to be an exciting performance,” mentioned Gule.

interpretations

Echoing his words, Mpyane said, “Since Gule is well known for his amazing interpretations of Ngqobe’s songs like ‘Mfazi Nankunyana’, which he performed well at the Old Mutual National Choir Festival, I thought he would really do justice with this music. I am also not taking away the fact that he is a member of the Methodist Church, which makes him a perfect match for the composition.” Expressing his excitement for the extravaganza, Gule said, “Being invited to be a part of the Conductors Extravaganza, to conduct the world choir champions is quite humbling and, of course, an honour. It is a recognition of one’s efforts and contribution to the choral fraternity in the country. In broader terms, it is a recognition of the high quality of conductors we have in the country. I am excited to be a part of the project.”

On Saturday, Gule attended his first rehearsal with the Bokamoso Choir, where he received praise for his interpretation of Ngqobe’s piece. “I am happy to have gone to Pretoria for my first rehearsal session with the choir, a very warm reception. They are a very humble choir, very attentive and easy to work with. They have a well organised administration, making it easy to work with,” he added. On the challenge ahead of him, Gule said this is a tremendous task. Other than the fact that it is a test of one’s technical strength and ability to create an exciting performance, it is also an opportunity to showcase the depth of skill we have in the country as far as conducting is concerned. It is also an opportunity for him to learn from other selected high-profile conductors and forge meaningful relationships.

The event will see all 15 conductors, 14 from SA and Gule, conduct the Bokomosa Choir in each of their assigned songs. “I chose Gule because of the dedication he has towards his choir, which I experienced when I worked with him and MMCC a few years ago, while they were preparing for the Eswatini Standard Bank Competition. It was then that I realised that he is a professional and collaborates well with other professionals. For this event, I wanted exactly that,” said Mpyane.

incorporated

The event is where conductors will be celebrated from all over SADC in the form of song. In the same concert, they will be celebrating 30 years of democracy in South Africa, where Mpyane also incorporated legendary compositions talking about Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. President of the Eswatini National Choir Association, Sihle Gumbi, congratulated Gule and said he was proud that he would raise the choir’s flag using choral music.  “As an association, we would like to congratulate Gule for being elected as one of the conductors to be part of the extravaganza. We note very well that there are good conductors out there and him being part of this event is an achievement for the country. We wish him all the best, and we hope he will do well in that event. As a country, we pledge our support to him, and we hope we will also make it to the event in Pretoria to support him,” mentioned the president.

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