Kearsney College Choir excels in European choral competition
The 53-member high school choir returns after successfully competing in the prestigious International Youth Music Festival.
THE acclaimed Kearsney College Choir returned from Europe recently, having won the Male Choirs section of the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna, as well as the hearts of the public.
The 53-member choir has relished the opportunity to tour and perform once again, after two Covid-enforced years of being unable to entertain international audiences.
The boys returned triumphant after their two-week tour to Austria and the Czech Republic.
They performed in the famous Golden Hall, at Vienna’s Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival. The varied repertoire showcased their versatility with numbers such as a medieval melody, a Ukranian lullaby, and a Jonas Brothers song.
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The boys gave their all and their synchronisation was flawless, earning them a rating of ‘Outstanding Success’. Kearsney staff accompanying the choir expressed their pride in the boys’ performance and delight with the audience’s response to the highly energetic performance style.
Each item on the programme was met with thunderous applause, and the final performance received a three-minute standing ovation by the judging panel and audience. The crowd had to be quietened to permit the judges to comment.
Thereafter, they participated in the Gala Winners’ Concert last Tuesday (5 July), before heading to Prague, where they performed on Thursday, 7 July.
Kearsney principal Elwyn van den Aardweg said, thanks to support from the Kearsney community, the choir was fortunate to have toured to Europe after an absence from international exposure.
“The resilience of the boys and staff in immediately returning, after this absence, to a world-class level of delivery is to be celebrated. We are overjoyed with their exceptional performances on global stages in claiming top spot,” he said.
The Kearsney College choir boasts a long list of accolades, including 15 gold medals and seven silver medals at the World Choir Games (the Olympics for Choirs) between 2000 and 2018.
It has become synonymous with vibrant, energetic performances and slick, professional productions. With its signature blend of classical, pop and indigenous music, the choir has built up a large international following of appreciative supporters.
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