beMobile Choral Spectacle
Thalefang Charles | Monday November 16, 2015 18:00
Every short break between the performances, the Boipuso Hall got lost in a mass choir as the audience demonstrated their love for choral, and that they too are choristers elsewhere.
The choirs were competing in eight locally composed songs. The organisers, Botswana Choral Music Association (BOCMA) brought 11 adjudicators, four of which were from South Africa while seven were locals to sieve the best from the rest.
Gaborone Youth Singers (GYS) did a clean sweep in the heavyweights Section A category by scooping first prize in the African and Western song. Section A comprised five premier choirs namely, KTM, GYS, Maikano Senaders, Gaborone Philharmonics Voices (GPV) and Unique Rhythms. They competed with the songs: Praise Ye The Lord and Bagaka Ba Rona that were composed by Letsholo Bongalo and James Nkganetsang respectively. In Section B, there were mainly community choirs that were competing with David Segatlhe’s Gola BOCMA and Micheal Modise’s Lamb of God. Moeding Alumni Artists choir led by Rev. Dumi Mmualefhe won the prize for Gola BOCMA while BTU Choristers Choir topped on Lamb of God.
Nine church choirs were competing in Section C with songs: Ya Rona 73 by Bushy Bogosing and Upon This Rock by Phillimon Mataela. Roman Catholic’s St. Bernadette Church Choir from Gaborone under the stewardship of Ajao Setuke won the African song while Mogoditshane UCCSA emerged victorious in the western piece.
The legendary KTM only tasted glory in the females’ choir as they convincingly won the category where they were competing with their conductor’s composition Luka Disho’s Rose of Sharon.
Maikano Serenaders, also known as Ma14, tasted the podium with their male choir singing Leuba La 1983 by Josiah Moswela.
Speaking after the performances, a representative of the adjudicators, Monty Monamela from South Africa commended the growth of choral music in Botswana. “The growth that we have seen today as compared to last year is tremendous. It is the growth that is usually achieved over five years,” said Monamela.
Botswana Telecommunications Limited (BTCL), Ministry of Youth Sport and Culture and choral supporter, Dr Bubi sponsored the event.
RESULTS:
Section A
Winners were getting P14,000, position two P12,000 and position three P10,000
Songs:
African -Bagaka Ba Rona by James Nkganetsang
Western – Praise Ye The Lord by Letsholo Bogalo
African
1. Gaborone Youth Singers - 93%
2. KTM – 90%
3. Gaborone Philharmonics – 84%
Western
1. Gaborone Youth Singers – 84%
2. Gaborone Philharmonics – 78%
3. KTM – 75%
Section B
Winners were getting P12,000, position two P10,000 and three P8,000
Songs:
African – Gola BOCMA by David Segatlhe
Western – Lamb of God by Michael Modise
African
1. Moeding Alumni Artists – 70%
2. Sikwane Circuit – 69%
3. DRCB Mochudi Circuit – 67%
Western
1. BTU – 80%
2. Moeding Alumni Artists – 78%
3. Sikwane Circuit – 76%
Section C
Winners were getting P10,000, position two P8,000 and three P6,000
Songs:
African – Ya Rona 73 by Bushy Bogosing
Western – Upon This Rock by Phillimon Mataela
African
1. St. Bernadette Church – 83%
2. Palapye Voices – 80%
3. UB – 79%
Western
1. Mogoditshane UCCSA – 78%
2. St. Bernadette Church – 74%
3. UB – 69%
Males & Female
Winners were getting P10,000, position two P8,000 and three P6,000
Females
Song: Rose of Sharon by Luka Disho
1. KTM – 70%
2. St Anthony Church – 74%
3. Gaborone Philharmonics – 68%
Males
Song: Leuba la 1983 by Josiah Moswela
1. Maikano Serenaders – 85%
2. Gaborone Philharmonics – 84%
3. KTM – 78%