Quava choir is preparing to welcome Randburg and Fontainebleau audiences to Bokamoso, a concert that marks a new chapter for the group, under new leadership an featuring new talent.

One of the choir’s newest members, who joined in April this year, Dr Merna Nicholas, said the concert’s title carries deep personal meaning. “Bokamoso to me means being part of a new journey, representing a new sound, a new era, a new face of what Quava is and what Quava is going to become.”

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Despite being a recent addition to the choir, the member said she felt connected to the values that earlier Quava members built. “I think the sense of community and musical excellence are two things that stand out to me. That I just get to build on further as I embark as a new member in my journey in Quava.”

Preparing for the concert has demanded a new level of focus, she explained. Rehearsals were more efficient than before, ensuring the choir was ready both musically and mentally, reflecting the excellence Quava has become known for.

When asked which song best captures the idea of a future sound, Nicholas pointed to We Can Mend The Sky. She said the piece demonstrates the musical technicality Quava is known for, while its message of community, love, and togetherness reflects where the choir is heading.

Joining Quava has also brought personal growth. Having always been an independent person, who preferred doing things alone, the choir taught Nicholas the value of leaning on others. “This choir has taught me to ask for help and lean on those around me.”
Nicholas added that fellow choristers have shown they can be trusted to offer support. She praised the direction of conductor Sikhulule Mlokoti, describing the experience as an honour. She said Mlokoti understands music beyond the notes on a page, and has the ability to translate his vision through the choristers, calling him a teacher at heart.

While unable to compare the current sound to Quava’s earlier work, having only recently become a member, the chorister said the choir appears to be exploring new genres, styles, and languages, which could draw in a wider audience.

Looking ahead to the concert itself, Nicholas hopes audiences will come away understanding the power of choral singing beyond entertainment. She described it as a tool for social cohesion, capable of addressing difficult, and sometimes taboo, issues faced in daily life, in the country, and around the world.

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For anyone in Randburg who has never seen Quava perform, the message was simple: Come and experience a choir that showcases not only musical excellence but community, heart, and a message of hope.

Summing up what Bokamoso represents for the choir’s future, Nicholas said it marks the beginning of a new chapter. “Bokamoso is really going to be the door that opens, that allows Quava to now set into the future that we were destined to step into. Bokamoso is the rocket ship that will send us off into the stratosphere.”

Quava’s Bokamoso concert takes place on July 31 in Fontainebleau.

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