KTM choir celebrates two decades in song
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Monday December 16, 2013 15:30
Gomolemo Thatayaone Motswaledi founded it in January 20 1993, now an active opposition party leader and president of the Botswana Movement for Democracy. Then, as the director, he composed and arranged music for the choir.
In its recent show at Cresta Hotel where the choir was celebrating the two decades milestone, KTM proved why it was still considered best of its genre in Botswana. The event kicked off with the new and active outfit, whose women looked stunning in their evening gowns.
They wore white of the shoulder dresses with a blue ribbon on their waists while men wore beige suits with white shirts and blue ties.
Conductor of the youthful choir was Luka Disho. They opened the show with a breath taking gentle melodies of 'Just belief' and 'Kwa tshimong' - relating the events that take place in the fields. Then the audience was taken down memory lane with a well-known Setswana folksong, 'Chiwele'.
Among others, the young KTM, offered a rendition of one of Botswana's celebrated songwriters, the late KT Motsete, whom the choir is named after.
Motsete, then a Botswana People's Party leader, UCCCSA faithful whose face today appears on Botswana's P20 bank note, had penned the song as a contender for the national anthem, alongside 'Fatshe leno la rona', which he also wrote.
The song 'Botswana' celebrates the beauty of the country, its customs and people. The choir also presented a piece about the founding President Sir Seretse Khama, paying tribute to his inspirational leadership.
The audience was also treated to another masterpiece, 'Qeu Majoana' and other signature songs such as 'Setswana se garona', 'Ditso Tsa Rona' and 'Gurunjiba'.
Then KTM veterans, also known as the second-generation choir, took to the stage.
In this round, the women looked pretty in black skirts and white shirts with black dots while men wore black suits with white shirts and scarf's matching women's blouses.
The choir started off with worship song, 'He is worthy' followed by 'O se re gogele'. This time, Motswaledi was back as the choirmaster, showing youngsters how it is done. The veterans, among other melodious tunes, performed 'Botswana', 'Go a ultwala', 'Re Batswana', 'Setotojane' and 'Dikgomo'. But it was the choir's show-off tune, 'Re gaketse' that got the audience all excited and showing much appreciation.
Other notable trademark songs preformed were 'Tsibitsibirobi', 'ABC', 'Diphala', 'A re chencheng', 'Segaba' and 'Marabele'.
Notables in the veterans' choir included My Star judge Kgomotso Tshwenyego, Lidzibo, Nono, Nnunu and Punah.