Celebrating South Africa: Culture

The Cape Malay Choir Board, established in 1939, is a cultural organisation focused on preserving the unique traditions of Cape Malay choral music, particularly the singing of Nederlands Liedere and Afrikaans songs. It plays a vital role in maintaining the cultural heritage of Cape Malay communities in Cape Town, South Africa.

Choral Celebration Network Foundation (CCNF) aims to be the network link between choirs, events and festivals across South Africa. CCNF hosts Choral Celebration Festivals in all provinces. These festivals allow eight to ten choirs of all ages, music genres and associations to perform in the same festival. CCNF also hosts an annual National Choral Conductors Convention, Udumo Choir Projects (mass choir events for emerging and developed choirs across South Africa) and Choral Ignite series focusing on exposure of adult choirs to other conductors and music genres.

The University of Cape Town’s Opera School has developed a reputation by producing opera singers of major world standing. The Opera School prides itself on discovering exceptional vocal talent amidst impoverished communities that are rich in a singing culture and training them in all aspects of opera performance to be accomplished artists for a global stage.

It is a biennial fine art competition based on the rules of the long-standing Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award in the UK. All the works entered are unsigned, ensuring that they are judged anonymously, purely on technique, narrative and emotional appeal.

This is the annual Eisteddfod in the Western Cape. The donation from Millennium Trust will be used to sponsor disadvantaged choirs to participate at the Eisteddfod and the hosting of choral conductor training courses.