 Inaugural Ihlombe! South African Choral Festival a Grand Success
1,150 Participants Come Together in Song for the Largest International Choral Gathering in South Africa
This past July saw the absolute successful start to an all new choral festival held in South Africa. The Ihlombe! South African Choral Festival kicked off Thursday, July 9th with an opening concert at the Regina Mundi RC Church in Soweto. The Imilonji KaNtu Choral Society and the Soweto Gospel Choir opened the festival, joined by the Morgan State University Choir and the Pacific BoyChoir. Music Critics and South African citizens came out for this prestigious concert filling the church to its fullest.
 The inaugural Ihlombe! South African Choral Festival, took place July 8-20, 2009 at prestigious venues in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto and Stellenbosch, South Africa. This festival included 14 choirs, 6 concerts and 8 workshops with renowned choral leaders. The festival included individual and joint choral performances, thrilling choral exchanges, workshops on African song and dance, 1,150 participants and a new music commission.
This festival is open to talented adult and children's choirs from around the world, opening the door to occasions of incredible music-making, plus the opportunity for valuable international cultural and interpersonal fellowship, fostering life-long friendships that reach around the world.
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"Thank you for inviting us to participate in this wonderful Ihlombe! festival. Musically, we, the Morgan State University Choir had an opportunity to hear some very fine choirs from South Africa and the United States. Culturally, we visited places that will change our lives forever. The South African people are so very warm and receptive, at times I did not even feel like a stranger in a foreign land. I personally know how much time and effort went into every detail of this trip. You have given the students of this choir memories that will last a lifetime."
—Dr. Eric Conway, Chairperson of the Fine Arts Department and Director of Morgan State University Choir |
