This year’s Heritage Day celebration in the capital city marks far more than just a performance for the Ndlovu Youth Choir.

It is a powerful visit and a chance to bring the echoes of the best of their performances throughout the world over the past few years to Pretorians.

These include a sold-out Carnegie Hall in New York, and performances during their recent FNB Heritage Tour to towns including Nelspruit, Welkom and Kimberley, Pretoria Rekord reports.

On Heritage Day on Wednesday, September 24, at 15:00, at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, the Ndlovu Youth Choir will culminate their tour, presented by Jacaranda FM, with a grand finale that promises to stir hearts, move feet, and unite voices.

From the small village of Moutse in Limpopo to some of the world’s grandest stages, the Ndlovu Youth Choir has consistently surpassed expectations.

Ralf Schmitt, the choir’s artistic director, reflects on the significance of this moment at the end of the FNB Heritage Tour in Pretoria with heartfelt sincerity.

“We have been on incredible stages and bring everything we have learned on our South African tour to reflect it back to a capital city audience. That is incredibly special,” he said.

To him, this finale is not just a concert. It is a celebration of identity, of unity, and of music as a force for connection.

The decision to host it at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria is no coincidence.

“It is the biggest indoor venue in South Africa. After travelling to all the smaller towns across the country, it feels symbolic to end in the capital,” said Schmitt.

“We have celebrated South Africa all along the way, and now we gather to celebrate who we are, together.”

The choir’s roots remain deeply embedded in Limpopo.

“Every single member of the choir comes from the same little village area. Most of them live within walking distance of each other,” Schmitt shared.

“There is so much talent in this one small spot. Imagine the untapped potential that exists in so many young South Africans in other areas.”

That rural influence is ever-present in the choir’s sound and performance.

Whether reimagining Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” with Zulu flavour or slow-roasting global hits with Limpopo flair, the result is always rich, textured, and proudly South African.

“It is like the songs get marinated in our culture before they hit the stage,” Schmitt laughed.

According to him, one of the choir’s greatest strengths is this ability to fuse traditional African songs with original compositions and global hits, thus creating something both familiar and entirely new.

“It is a conversation with music. Our traditional songs are our heritage, our original work is our contribution to the future, and the global songs, well, that is the bridge. That is where we show the world what South African music can do,” he explained.

The setlist for this grand finale is designed not just to entertain, but to leave an imprint.

Schmitt hopes that by the end of the show, “people will be sore from dancing, their hands sore from clapping, their throats sore from singing along, but their hearts full. That is the goal”.

More than anything, he hopes the audience walks away feeling proud.

“Heritage and music are inseparable,” Schmitt explained. “Music is how we carry our history, how we pass it on. We try to represent as many cultures as we can in the most beautiful, accessible way, and there is something for everyone.”

They have collaborated with global stars like Pink and Kygo, and raised millions for causes like Unicef (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund). The choir’s international exposure has deeply influenced their approach, not just artistically, but in terms of production value and professionalism.

“The idea behind this tour was to take the same level of production that we present internationally, and bring it to the smaller towns and cities that do not always get to experience it. To give back,” he said.

International does not mean they have lost their South African soul.

“We bring world-class standards,” he continued, “but we add that little bit of ‘gees’ [spirit], that heart and soul that only South Africans know how to give.”

One of the joys of an Ndlovu Youth Choir performance is its interactive nature.

The audience is not a passive observer, but they are part of the experience.

“The choir is used to people dancing and singing along. We love it. We thrive on it. That energy is everything,” Schmitt beamed.

This commitment to connection is central to their mission. Hope and unity are not abstract ideas for the choir. They are embedded in every beat, every harmony, every movement.

“Every song we sing has to mean something,” he said. “Whether it is a South African story, a song of struggle or a celebration of youth, there is intention behind every note.”

Looking beyond the Pretoria show, his focus is that the choir continues to grow.

“If you are not growing, you are dying,” he said. “We are always developing creatively, in performance and in vision.”

The group has a US tour planned for next year and upcoming performances in Durban, but their focus remains firmly on continuing to inspire through authenticity.

A recent visit to a wildlife care facility in the Lowveld, Care for Wild, an orphanage for rhinos whose mothers were poached, left a lasting impact on the choir.

“It was a happy moment, but also very real and scary to see the effects of poaching,” Schmitt shared. “In South African culture, when we feel something deeply, we sing. So the choir sang at the facility. It was spontaneous, raw, and very special.”

– Listen to the rendition of the Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody” in Isizulu by the Ndlovu Youth Choir:

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