When Wits met La Réunion on stage, language fell away and music took over. Voices
Without Borders brought French precision and African warmth together for one
unforgettable night at the Atrium.
The Faculty of Humanities and the Wits Choir welcomed Choeur du Petit Conservatoire
de I’Est for a joint concert titled Voices Without Borders on May 08 at the Wits Artiruim.
The performance was set to start at 18:30 with guests arriving an hour earlier, filling the
air with excitement and anticipation. From the moment the first note rang, the contrast
between both choirs was evident, and that was the essence of the evening: a cultural
exchange with no borders.
Led by director Fanny Prie, the French choir set the stage with precision and harmony
of classical French repertoire. Based in Saint-Andre, La Reunion, the 45-strong youth
ensemble is known back home for their “Bus de Noel” tour across schools and
hospitals. Their sound was clean, controlled and disciplined, with pure evidence of what
years of training sound like in every phrase they sang.
Yet, the performance didn’t feel cold; it brought warmth to a country far from home. “We
are a population and a mix; that’s what our choir represents. It’s difficult because African
choirs sing in their languages, but it has been a lesson for us and the exchange helps us
exchange the French repertoire.” said Prie. The Artiruim fell silent after the last note,
then broke into applause, as language barriers disappeared through music. On the other
side, Menzi Gumede and Sasha Xola Dladla-Nkosi shaped the Wits Choir for the
evening. It was nerve wracking for them going in not knowing what the audience’s
turnout would be, but there was clear excitement from both conductors.
They pushed the choir into rhythm and created a beautiful harmony, listening for how it
could blend well with the French choir’s precision. For Dladla-Nkosi, that was the point
of the night. “Shared harmony is the ability to do things with people who have not been
exposed to the choir setting. Harmony in itself blows people who are not involved in
choirs away.” said Dladla-Nkosi.
The electric feeling from both conductors came through in the passionate voices of the
choir. The choir blended well mixing raw talent to make beautiful melodies. When the
Wits choir missed a note and had to restart, the moment wasn’t met with embarrassment
by performers and the audience. It was instead met with a shared understanding that
they were striving for perfection.
The idea of “shared harmony” stopped being just an idea and became what was
happening in real time. It wasn’t about which choir was better; it was about what
happens when two different traditions and age groups meet with the intent to learn from
each other and deliver the best performance.
“The cultural exchange is something I’m looking forward to because they are an elderly
choir. I’m just really excited to be here. I think music is a universal language and them
coming from France and us from South Africa and us coming together for the love of
music encapsulate what shared harmony means” said Kea Maphila, an alto singer for
Wits choir.
When both choirs came together on stage, it was nothing but beautiful. The precision
and energy from both choirs completed the entire evening. In that moment the
differences in language, style and training did not matter; what remained was a shared
sound that felt bigger than each choir. Reunionese choral music blends French choral
discipline with Maloya rhythms, a Créole style from African, Malagasy and Indian
heritage on the island’s sugar plantations. South Arican choral music blends Western
hymns with indigenous African traditions in the Amakwaya style, becoming an identity
and community tool. It showed that music does not need perfect translation to connect
people, it needs two groups willing to listen and meet in the middle.
FEATURED IMAGE: Picture of Wits choir warming up for the event. Photo by: Reatlehile Mashamba
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