In our hyperconnected modern world the idea of a “global village” seems commonplace. How ironic then that in the modern global village, Ubuntu (the real beating heart of the true African village), seems more and more remote.

Truth be told, in 2024 the majority of South African choirs still function to a large extent in silos. I have to acknowledge here that one of the fundamental reasons for this is the legacy of apartheid that forced people to live in separate areas, to the extent that even now, 30 years after the dawn of democracy, the practical outcome of “separate group areas” is still reflected in the choral scenes of our beloved country.

Which brings us to a wonderful quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr: “Let’s build bridges, not walls.”

Alte Maré and her team at the Choral Celebration Network have done phenomenal work over the past years of giving life to this motto. Through their UDUMO and Choral Ignite events in all our country’s provinces they have been bringing together singers from different communities and have been instrumental in creating memories and friendships across divides.

In an editorial in Die Burger, the author writes “Many people can share experiences where memories and emotions that might have been deeply buried in their sub-conscious suddenly surface when they hear a piece of music. Or how, when they hear a piece of music, they suddenly experience their connectedness with loved ones that are thousands of kilometers away or that might have passed away. … Music not only takes you on an inward journey, it broadens your spirit (verruim jou gees) to such an extent that your compassion with others and with the world around you, enlarges”.

All of us attending this conference have this in common: we all love singing, we all love choral music, we all have this passion that drives us. It is my desire to see participants connect, share knowledge, create new memories, draw inspiration, and go home and, whether in a small way or on a large scale, continue our “choir making” with an intention to be some of the bridge builders this country so desperately needs.

~Leon Starker-Programme Director: Mzanzi Conductors Convention