South African Choir performs in Jackson

JACKSON, Tenn. — The chamber choir from the University of Limpopo in South Africa is in town as the choir-in-residence at Union University.

On Sunday afternoon, they performed South African songs and even Mozart for the community.

“To have a choir from a foreign country spend a week and a half in sharing their music and learning from our music I think is a treat,” said Union University Music Department Chair Chris Mathews.

A cultural exchange of music is what 30 students and their director set out to accomplish by coming to the United States. All week long they have been performing and learning about the formal music program at Union University.

“The goal for them is to just study as much as possible of what we do and see they can incorporate some of those ideas in their university,” Mathews said.

Being able to perform with an orchestra ensemble is something the students said they’ve never experienced.

“It’s a great experience,” said chamber choir member Teveble Letsoalo. “It’s something we never thought we could do before. It doesn’t happen a lot in South Africa.”

Even though to goal of this trip was to find ways to enhance their music program, their director says the cultural exchange is just as important.

“I’ve watched them interact with the people around here, and it has been emotional for me to finally have them over here and see exactly what I experienced when I was here,” said chamber choir director Thabe Matsebatlela.

Union University students performed side-by-side with the chamber choir, which is a first for Union University, but hopefully not the last.

“I hope that we can get over there,” Mathews said. “I hope that we can find time to have them over to the United States again.”

After the final number, the audience thanked the choir with a standing ovation.

“We enjoy being here as well,” Letsoalo said. “These guys appreciate us, so we are going to just give it all we can.”

“Tremendous to have them in Jackson,” Marlyn Smuthers said.

Believe it or not, members of the chamber choir told me none of the students are actually majoring in music. They said their love of music attracted them to the choir and that they couldn’t pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity.

According to Mathews, this trip to Jackson was funded by a grant from the South African government to the University of Limpopo.

Housing and meals for the students are being provided by Union University.