Zim Choir Scoops First Prize Again in SA
The 60-member Chitungwiza-based choral music outfit recently scooped first prize in the prestigious Limpopo Regional Choir Championships held in Giyani province of South Africa. Sponsored by Old Mutual and Telkom, the annual competition is open to choral music groups from the Southern Africa region. The outfit shrugged off stiff competition from 11 other competitors to land the coveted R7000 prize money plus a floating trophy.
By winning the prize, Chitungwiza Harmony Singers automatically qualified to proceed to the national finals to be held in Durban on December 8 and 9. Of the 12 groups that took part in the event, two - Chitungwiza Harmony Singers and Dangamvura Old Students Association (DOSA) — were from Zimbabwe while the rest were from the host country, South Africa. Leader of the group, Israel Dzangare, said he was thrilled that they had done it again for the third time in seven years in the same competition.
“It gives us pride that Zimbabwe is on the map. Although our Warriors are losing on the football front, on the other side we are winning musically. “By winning the award, we have not done it for ourselves as Chitungwiza Harmony Singers but for Zimbabwe as a whole,” he said. Their winning song titled ‘Ye House of Gilead’, composed by Gorge Fraderick Handell, was presented to the accompaniment of a piano in the Standard Music Category. The second piece they performed ‘Binokeng Psa Babelone’, which means ‘By the Rivers of Babylon’ in SiSuthu … was adjudged the third best in the traditional music category.
This is not the first time Chitungwiza Harmony Singers - formed in 1993 by Israel Dzangare - have won such a prestigious award in the competition.
Seven years ago they emerged tops in the regional contest followed by another feather to their cap in the same competition in 2005. Both were held in Bloemfontein. In 2002 they were on second place.
[Via The Herald]
