Four musical schoolboys who started singing together for fun two years ago have not only the joy of musical comradeship to show for their efforts, but now also a CD.
Four musical schoolboys who started singing together for fun two years ago have not only the joy of musical comradeship to show for their efforts, but now also a CD.
For the Love of Singing is the culmination of a two-year collaboration of St Andrew's College pupils, Chris de Blocq van Scheltinga (high tenor), Martin Chandler (lead tenor), Joshua Devis (bass) and Khayalethu Mqhayi (tenor).
While all four members were variously involved in the school choirs and played musical instruments, they decided to do something new and different for ‘gees’ – to get together regularly as friends and sing a cappella.
Josh describes their choice best when he says, “Voice is the best instrument because it can be used in so many different ways and is not limited to one type of sound.”
The four first wowed audiences with their harmonies when they performed in G-Town Funk at an end-of-term school concert.
What is unusual about this schoolboy group is that they are totally self-motivated – there is no teacher in charge. They organise their own rehearsals and decide what they want to sing and how they want to sing their chosen numbers.
All four young men are also successfully involved in all other aspects of school life –culture, sport and academics.
As the St Andrew’s College a cappella group, SACappella seemed the most appropriate name. They rehearsed religiously and, encouraged by the enthusiastic responses from audiences at the Lowlander, decided to enter themselves into the St Andrew’s inaugural Youth Music Festival early in 2012.
There they received outstanding reviews from the Rhodes University ad judicator and were one of the groups chosen to perform in the final ‘best of fest’ concert. This successful exposure lead to SACappella performing at virtually every musical event held at St Andrew’s College and the Diosesan School for Girls in 2012.
Their recording is not always pitch-perfect, yet this is exactly what makes it so wonderful. It captures the love of singing of these four young men beautifully. It also captures their dedication; the special bond that has formed over so many hours of practicing and the joyous energy created by their voices.
Hopefully too, the CD expresses their appreciation for St Andrew’s College which brought them together and gave them the space to independently explore their love of singing.
SACappella hope to spread the joy of singing and inspire present and future Andreans to use their voices for their own enjoyment and the enjoyment of others.
