By Rhulani Mabasa
The Victoria Girls High School Choir showed their talent once again at the 10th Annual Gospel Classic concert, Gospel Goes Classical. The hall was full of parents, alumni, learners, and community members who came to enjoy an afternoon of praise.
The concert was led by Khabazela Mkhize, the choir conductor, and hosted by Praise Mathebula as MC.
Mkhize said the concert began 10 years ago because the school wanted to focus more on classical and opera-style music while allowing learners to enjoy gospel. He said that although Victoria Girls’ High does not hold prayers because of its religious policy, the concert was started to create a space where the girls could express their love for gospel music.
This year’s show had a mix of modern worship, traditional gospel, and classical music, following a combination of styles. The girls sang powerful songs such as ‘Who am I’, which was the opening song for the concert, it was followed by ‘Set You Free’, ‘Once Was Lost’, ‘Bless the Lord’, ‘All My Soul’, and ‘Jehovah is your name’.
Mkhize says they chose these songs carefully with the audience in mind. “If we choose vibey songs, people could be unruly,” he said, “We chose these songs to control the audience and keep the focus on worship.” He also stressed the importance of the Holy Spirit: “It’s all about the Holy Spirit. We can’t do anything without the Holy Spirit.”
Some memorable moments included ‘Mxoxoshe we Zulu’, which three girls performed, and a moving violin performance that gave the evening a classical feel. The VG Alumni Choir also performed ‘Uyincwele Thixo’, showing how the school’s choir traditions carry on after learners leave.
The Victoria Girls’ High Choir impressed the audience with their clear harmonies, changes in voice parts, and simple but effective movements while singing, the concert was full of with energy and joy, earning loud applause.
Mkhize said this year felt especially different because it was the first time the concert had been held at the Rhodes University Theatre, “For the past nine years, we performed at our school hall,” he said, “This is our first time having all the lights. Thank you to Rhodes University for partnering with us. It means a lot. This is a fantastic venue.”
