Melting Pot festival melts our hearts
A number of choral music groundbreaking events were lined up as a build up to the national competition to be held in Ekurhuleni in October.
These included the KZN Melting Pot Choral Festival, which was held in April and was followed by Mpumalanga Melting Pot Choral Festival held on Sunday June 1.
The Crème de la crème of choral music in honour of one of South Africa‘s greatest sons OR Tambo, himself a former school choir member at St. Peters
“It is exciting to be back with this massive festival for a lot of choirs in Mpumalanga. The choirs worked hard and they were very competitive to match the standard of other professionals in the country,” said Ms Gcisa Mdlulwa, CEO of Melting Pot Arts Festival.
More than 15 choirs celebrated 20 years of democracy through sound in honoured of OR Tambo in style. Choirs such as Mbabane Methodist Church Choir, Emalahleni Choral Sounds, Manzini Choir, Matsamo Voices and Mpumalanga Choral Artist shared the stage.
Adding to the potpourri of song and dance was the acclaimed Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Also in the blend to add further entertainment was Zakes Bantwini, Solly Mahlangu, Musa Sukwane, Celeste Ntuli, Grandi Tenori and East Rand Male Choir.
The Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation endorse this festival. “Oliver Tambo loved classical and choral music, and was himself an accomplished choirmaster,” said Mavuso Msimang, CEO of the Foundation. “Tambo recognised the critical role of culture in the struggle liberation and encouraged the formation of cultural groups in exile camps, where freedom fighters lived.”
