Curro Brackenfell Primary School’s junior choir, the Knightingales, scooped second place for last year’s national Sing in Harmonie choir competition as the winners were finally announced on Sunday May 15.
Some 35 choirs from around the country took part in the competition, which was won by Kruinsig Primary, of Gauteng.
The adjudicators described the Knightingales as most enjoyable, disciplined, with clear articulation and having a most pleasant and rounded sound, according to choir accompanist Lelanie Hoffmann.
“The recordings took place in October last year, the finals were only broadcast on Sunday May 15 on DStv’s VIA TV. So we did not know any results for 2021 before yesterday,” she said.
Previously Northern News reported on how the school’s first choir started in 2016 with 35 pupils, which developed into 180 pupils spanning junior and senior choirs (“Curro Brackenfell Primary School competes in national choir competition,” Northern News, April 22).
Choir conductor and leader Myrtle van den Heever, who is responsible for working out their music pieces and coaching the choirs, is very pleased with how the choir overcame the challenge of rehearsing during a pandemic to take second place.
“I am very surprised and satisfied with the results, because it was a difficult task practising choir during heavy Covid restrictions in 2021. We are blessed to have the full support from our executive head, Izak Nagel, our principal, Michelle de Bod, our amazing teachers and most of all our wonderful parents,” she said.
Mr Nagel said: “Our school appreciates the opportunity Sing in Harmonie creates for our learners. It warms my heart to know that almost half of the school is either singing in the junior and senior choir.”
Curro Brackenfell is no stranger to silverware in this competition: in 2019, the junior choir won the Western Cape finals and the senior choir came second.
“We have not been recorded for the 2022 season, this is only happening on Wednesday May 25 and will be broadcast later this year. Preparation is going very well and we are looking forward to both junior and senior choirs participating again,” said Ms Van den Heever