15 Jun 2016

It must have been a tough one for the judges to decide who wins the National Public Service Day performing arts competitions in choral music.

Sparks flied at the choral music final competitions where six choirs battled it out in both the standard song and lerabi.

Standard song, Retswa Kgakala was a song that all the choirs had to sing, while lerabi was own composed song.

The competing choirs were the top three that made it during the district and ministry competitions.

The competitions were part of a series of the National Public Service Day activities.

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning choir came tops in the standard song while Lobatse won lerabi.

Lobatse district choir had set the pace from the onset in both the standard song and composed song, where the choir had the energy on stage and it was evident they had extensive rehearsals prior to the finals.

Lobatse district choir dominated the 2016 performing arts competitions as they, at preliminary stage, made it through to the finals in both the standard song and own composed song, while they got second position at the finals in the standard song.

Another choir, which was also a threat to Lobatse in lerabi, was the Ministry of Lands and Housing who got position two, while position three went to Ghanzi district.

The Ministry of Lands and Housing also came third in the standard song competition.

Meanwhile, at the end of the competition, judges noted some of the weaknesses that they realised.

They said they noticed things such as change of colour tones at the peak of the song and also a challenge in cue ins after a musical swell.

Judges also realised that when some choirs did the word painting, they forgot that the songs should be communicative.

Choirs were also urged to be original in composition of their songs, something which the judges said had an impact in the results of some choirs.

Judges also advised singers to respects each other’s dance space at the climax of the song. ENDS