Khabo Dhlamini speaks ahead of Bokamoso
Khabo Dhlamini has watched Quava Vocal Group grow from its founding in 2009 into an award-winning choir, and as the group prepares for its concert Bokamoso: A Future Sound, the chairperson and first soprano says the theme captures exactly where the choir finds itself.
Quava Vocal Group will present Bokamoso: A Future Sound, a concert rooted in the theme of rebirth, honouring the voices and musical journey that have carried the choir to this point while embracing the creativity and possibilities that lie ahead.
Chairperson and first soprano Khabo Dhlamini said the theme speaks directly to her own philosophy.
“Bokamoso means to me the perpetual persistence towards self-improvement and excellence,” she said. “Whoever joins the choir knows that part of the legacy is to make the choir better by simply being part of it.”
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Preparing for the concert has been challenging in a positive way, she said, especially after the choir’s win at the Polish Per Musicam ad Astra competition last year raised the bar.
She credits new conductor Cooper Mlokoti, saying he “had big shoes to fill and not only did he fill them but added a new shiny bow.”
Dhlamini co-founded Quava in 2009 and remains one of its longest-serving members.
“It’s like a mom watching her baby grow. I can’t get used to the sound because when I think it can’t get any better, it does.”
The concert leans further into the choir’s African roots, featuring a piece by the late composer Michael Mosoeu Moerane alongside works arranged by Quava’s own Phila Malevu, Vuyelwa Maqungo and Sabelo Mthembu, as well as Jake Runestad’s We Can Mend the Sky.
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For Dhlamini, choral music carries a deeper purpose.
“It can inspire and comfort, it can entertain and educate,” she said, adding that live concerts let people “put down their phones and just enjoy being part of the music.”
Her message to anyone considering attending is direct. “You snooze, you lose. Let’s take you around the world without you leaving your seat.”
Bokamoso: A Future Sound takes place on July 31, 2026, from 19:00 to 21:00 at Fontainebleau Community Church, on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Rabie Street, Fontainebleau, Randburg. Tickets are available on Quicket.
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