Johannesburg - The Drakensberg Boys Choir are set to embark on their 2022 Noël Tour with festive performances in Gauteng this weekend.
The group’s Christmas performances will continue until early next week, kicking off at the Piazza at Melrose Arch on Saturday evening. They will then perform at the Heidelberg Klipkerk on Sunday afternoon, the Moreletapark Kerk in Pretoria on Monday and then the Liberty Church Randburg on Tuesday night.
Some of the items on the programme:
“Fanfare for Christmas” (R Wells)
“Once in Royal David’s City” (arr: D Willcocks)
“Gloria” (M Smith)
“Carol of the Bells” (arr: R Spina)
“Sonneblom uit Bethlehem” (arr: A van der Merwe)
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (arr: D Willcocks)
“O Come All Ye Faithful” (arr: D Willcocks)
“Star Carol” (John Rutter)
“The Holly and the Ivy” (J Gardner)
“O Holy Night” (arr: Bernard Kruger)
“The Very Best Time Of Year” (John Rutter)
“Silent Night” (arr: Bernard Kruger)
The much-loved and uniquely South African Drakensberg Boys Choir have been captivating local and international audiences for more than 55 years with their high-energy performances, versatility, stamina and raw talent.
The “Saturday Star” spoke to two of the Drakensberg Boys Choir boys about the upcoming tour:
Brett Fernihough – Grade 9 (from Midrand)
“I feel like the tour to Gauteng is going to be an amazing experience for the whole choir because it will just be nice to get out of the school and go see the world out there. It will just be a very good opportunity to get better at the things we do. It will be amazing with the Christmas spirit, all our amazing carols that we are going to be doing and the programmes we are going to be singing for the public.”
Wade Breedt – Grade 9 (from Blairgowrie)
“This is my last year at Drakies, so therefore this is going to be my last Noël Tour. I have mixed emotions for this tour because it will be the last with the school. It is the last time I will get to tour with my friends, and next year it is a whole different chapter of my life. It is the last Christmas I will have basically with my friends, but the Christmas spirit is still there, it’s exciting, I am looking forward to it.”
The Drakensberg Boys Choir School was initially founded in 1967 by a local family whose son’s ambition was to create a choir school to rival the Vienna Boys Choir. The prestige and renown that the school has garnered in the ensuing years are an indication of the success of this ambition and the path was paved to create a choir of proudly South African brand ambassadors who continue to fly the flag high today.
The school caters to boys aged between 10 and 15 years (Grades 4 to 9) and is a boarding school that offers a dual curriculum: academics and music.
The choir school is small, with places for only 120 choristers, and the boys who pass through the halls join a special list of talented and well-rounded alumni who have continued to shine in a variety of careers that reflect their interests and talents.
Counted among these notable alumni are Deon van der Walt, Colin Lee, Clint van der Linde, Jacques Imbrailo, Nicholas Nicolaides, the Bala Brothers, Nathan Julius, Jean Grobler (the front man of the band St Lucia), Ralf Schmitt (musical director of the Ndlovu Youth Choir), Ndumiso Manana and Dominic Warren.
“The school is justifiably proud to have been the springboard to its success and we believe that our country has other talent hidden under wraps and hope that people step forward to follow in their legendary footsteps,” the Drakensberg Boys Choir said.
They added that because the recent pandemic protocols have restricted travel and touring, as well as limitations on live concerts, they must rely on other means to recruit potential choristers who will help to continue the tradition of this iconic South African choir.
“Online auditions are one such means of connecting with potential candidates,” the school said.
“We are always in search of a golden voice and we appeal to you to connect us with any such candidate who may fit the bill.”
The school added that currently they are auditioning all interested boys through an online process.
“It is important to note that while their singing talent and their passion for music, in general, is vital, they need not have studied music prior to their application.
“The school will also ensure their academic trajectory in music.
“Touring internationally is always our goal, and fortunately, we were able to re-enter the international scene after Covid restrictions were lifted, so two planned tours took place towards the end of 2021,” the school said.
Eight boys were selected to represent the choir and South Africa at Expo 2020, the largest business and tourism expo in Dubai. A further 40 boys then travelled to Namibia in October to perform for audiences there. In addition, this year the choir is embarking on its annual national tour which takes them from the Drakensberg mountains to the iconic Table Mountain in the Western Cape. The tour is aptly named the “2 Mountains Concert Tour”. Negotiations are also under way to send the choir on a tour to Italy later in the year.
Drakensberg Boys Choir School’s 2022 open day/sleepover dates have been set. If you know of a boy who would enjoy a “Drakie” experience and the opportunity to find out more about the school, email [email protected] or phone 036 468 1012.