Local choristers excel

Banele Mavimbela (17) is a passionate young man with heart; a heart for music and performing.

Banele’s passion for singing started at a very young age. Today, he takes his inspiration from artists like John Legend and Bruno Mars.

“When I was in primary school, there was no platform for me to build on my singing. There was no choir, so I couldn’t follow my passion just yet,” said Banele.

Banele is the youngest of four children, with one sister and two brothers. “They have no musical ability,” he laughed. “In that way, I am the black sheep of my family.”

The love for music came from his mother, who is also an avid music fan. Now, Banele has been chosen as the lead chorister for the NKZN Youth Choir, and he will be the Head Boy at NHS next year.

“Being lead chorister is a very humbling experience. The younger children are coming to me to ask me advice, sort of like they are looking up to me. That’s amazing,’ said Banele.

Next year will be Banele’s third year in the NKZN Youth Choir. He recently attended an orientation camp at Vulindlela Bush Camp with the other members of the choir. “It is a really fun place. You get to meet new people and you learn so much from the others. I have made friends there that I will keep forever.”

The camp is all about orientating the newer members of the group and also an opportunity for the choir to learn new songs for their repertoire. “We learn some of the most difficult songs in the world. We are a choir where our members are between the ages of 13 and 17,” said Banele. “It is fast paced learning and very difficult. This way we can see who can cope with the environment and who can’t.”

This year, all the new members managed the pressure of learning the intricate music. “We have an amazing group of people this year. I am more than excited for the performances,” he said.

Banele wants to pursue a career in medicine, something he is also very passionate about. “My mom is a lecturer at a nursing college, and my sister is a nurse. I feel that I need to have a degree behind my name before I pursue singing full time, and medicine is something I am very interested in.”

In ten years, Banele sees himself as someone important in South Africa. “I love my country. I want to be known one day. I want to be an example for others, so that they can do things they never thought were possible,” he said.

In many ways, Banele is a perfect example of someone with the talent and the passion to make a difference.

“I am so passionate about my music. When I perform, it’s emotional, and I like to show every emotion the music is making me feel. I do solos, and in that time I am pushing to sing with as much emotion as I possibly can,” he concluded.

Lwazi Khuzwayo (15) is another young star from Newcastle who will be performing with the NKZN Youth Choir.

2014 will be Lwazi’s second year as member of the choir. An achievement he is obviously very proud of.

“I have always had a passion for singing. In Grade 7, I was chosen for the Newcastle Senior Primary school choir. The same year I was chosen for the NKZN Youth Choir, something that I am very proud of,” said Lwazi. “This year I am a voice leader. So I have to make sure that all the new members learn the songs and get up to speed to sing as well as I do very quickly,” he continued.

A pupil at Ferrum High School, Lwazi loves to sing in the choir environment.

“It is a good platform for me to sing from. I like to sing with other performers,” he said. “I have always wanted to develop my skills and techniques, so that I can show off my God-given talent.”

Last year, Lwazi travelled to Rustenburg with the Ferrum School Choir, where they met Mia Makaroff, a well-known composer in the choir world.

“She is such an inspiration. I have started to write my own music, and I think it is going quite well. I just need to find a producer,” said Lwazi.

During the orientation camp at Vulindlela Bush Camp, one of the activities was to climb a very steep hill. Lwazi struggled but kept pushing until he reached the top, a big achievement for him.

“It is like that in life. You have to keep pushing. I kept telling myself, you can do it,” said Lwazi. “You keep pushing in life to reach your goals, otherwise you never get there.”

In September this year Lwazi took part in Newcastle Idols competition, and finished fifth overall. “It was a tough battle. In the second round we were given a song to sing that no one had prepared. I was competing against people who were in their twenties and it was tough. I am very proud to have finished fifth.”

After school, Lwazi plans to study architecture, something he finds very interesting.

“I don’t see myself singing for a career. I enjoy singing a lot, but for now I am just enjoying being able to sing,” he said.

Lwazi is grateful to his mother for her support, even though it isn’t always easy financially. “She is very proud of me, and wants me to be the best I can. It is very hard for her and I would just like to say thank you to her.”

He also thanked Walter Butt, the NKZN Youth Choir and Ferrum High School music teacher. “Mr Butt has taught me so much. From where I was to where I am now, musically and emotionally. Mr Butt helped me to learn a lot about myself and how to respect other people and other religions,” said Lwazi.

Lwazi hopes to represent his town with dignity and pride at all the performances with the NKZN Youth Choir. “I want to be an inspiration to other young individuals who also yearn for this life-changing experience,” Lwazi concluded.

The two young men will travel with the NKZN Youth Choir to the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales in July 2014, if finances permit.

To raise funds for the 12-day trip to Wales and the UK, the choir will perform at the Nataniël concert in Newcastle on March 22 next year. There will also be more concerts, all to raise funds for the trip overseas.

“We have one concert in Manchester also, and tentatively one in London,” said Mr Butt.

If anyone would like to contribute to the trip for these two boys, please send an e-mail to newed2@caxton.co.za, and we will put you in contact with them.