SHINING STARS: NDLOVU YOUTH CHOIR TO RISE AGAIN 

Multi-award-winning group eager to dazzle with ‘cool stuff’ in first live show since start of lockdown 

 The Star Early Edition  28 Oct 2020  MPILETSO MOTUMI SUPPLIEDTHE NDLOVU 

Youth Choir in the ‘We Will Rise’ concert takes pride of place on stage at the Theatre of Marcellus, Emperors Palace, from Friday to Sunday, for four shows. THE NDLOVU Youth Choir will be taking to the stage again after a long absence. The multi-award-winning ensemble, which won two SA Music Awards (Samas) this year, is preparing to dazzle audiences in their first concert since the lockdown. “Like all artists when the pandemic hit, all tours and performances were cancelled. We have been doing some really cool stuff in the virtual space. The title of this first show is to encourage people and remind them about the South African spirit of resilience. “The arts industry around the world and everyone at some stage has been so affected and we are saying ‘this too shall pass – we will rise above it’,” said artistic director Ralf Schmitt. Emperors Palace’s Theatre of Marcellus will host the concert, which is fittingly called We Will Rise, for four shows only this weekend. “Adapting to working for the last six months in the virtual space has been a mixture of fun, craziness, hectic and weird all in one. What has been cool is that we have been able to connect with so many people around the world. “We have had a lot of international clients and the virtual space has been a lovely way of connecting with people overseas without having to hop on to a plane and physically going to do it.” The choir took home the Best Adult Contemporary Album and the International Achievement Award at this year’s Samas. Their successful placement and representation of the country during the last season of America’s Got Talent garnered them the attention they truly deserved. “Everyone is keen to perform and from our side we just can’t wait. For us to be back in a big theatre, the energy these kids have is insane. Over the last week alone they have been rehearsing and excited to do the real thing again,” added Schmitt. He said that the weekend audience could expect fulfilment from the performance. “They are going to walk away with their spirits lifted and feeling positive about South Africa, about the future of our children. You can’t help but look at these young kids and know the future is bursting with potential.” He added that the show would be a two-hour escape for the family in a safe environment. Seats are limited due to the mandated social-distancing guidelines that state the venue can only have a maximum of 250 people per performance. For most performers, keeping creative is what kept them sane during the hard lockdown period. “We didn’t have a choice … all you could do was to create and be creative. There is a lot of new material that we will perform for the first time. One piece is a take on Respect by Aretha Franklin.” The choir’s most recent music video upload – their take on Master KG’s global hit, Jerusalema – has already been viewed more than 1.2 million times and they will be performing it for the first time at the concert. “We spent the time in lockdown creating new content, tightening the choreography and making the show better. They’ve been working six months on it with energy that is boiling out, it’s going to be magic,” said Schmitt. Tickets cost R300 for adults, and R100 for pensioners and children.