ORANGE CHOIR OFF TO PARIS
Kgomotso Molelekeng | Monday January 20, 2014 17:48
ORANGE CHOIR OFF TO PARIS
Kgomotso Molelekeng
Correspondent
Orange Choir has been selected to participate in the 22nd 'La nuit de la voix' (Night of Voice)' at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. This was announced by newly appointed CEO Philippe Baudin at a meet and greet at Botswanacraft on Thursday.
Baudin was celebrating the success of the choir. Looked colourful and full of life in their attire, the choir did a couple of songs that demonstrated why they were chosen as the choir to represent the country.
The choir will perform with three other African choirs, who will join Orange European Choirs. The choir, under the leadership of Mogomotsi Sekgopi, left on Saturday for the festival and will return on January 24.
Receiving cheers from the crowd, the choir blessed the audience with melodic sounds of Sheleng, Dipula, E Marabele, Seleng and Masigo to name a few. The women were smartly dressed in orange skirts, white tops and blankets to symbolise Tswana culture while the men decided to wear their leopard-print vests.
The choirmaster told Showtime that a group of workers who have the singing talent decided to form a choir. The choir performs at all Orange events and celebrations instead of the company spending money to hire entertainment.
'The choir started last year July and it currently has 30 members who are all aspiring singers and destined to make the company proud,' he said.
He mentioned that it was during their first performance last year that they managed to grab the attention outgoing CEO of Orange Botswana, Elisabeth Medou-Badang.
'She was very impressed with the articulation of our vocals and the way we blended as a choir. She told us right then that she was going to do all she can to get us to this Paris festival,' he said.
Sekgopi pointed out that what them apart from other choirs is the way they deliver their performances and the choice of songs they sing.
'We decided to sing old songs that our parents and grandparents used to sing. These are the songs that mostly tell a story about our culture, tradition and the cherry on top is the rawness of our voices,' he said.
He added that they have prepared four songs that they will perform in Paris. He said the festival is divided into two sessions where they are required to sing songs in Setswana and French.
'We will be doing Ntsha Nkgo Re Kgarithe, Dipula, Mma Mathi Mpelegele and Le Mokgoro Nka O Seka. For the French songs we have engaged Endy Batsogi of the Sedibeng Choir who is helping us learn the lyrics,' he said.
This was announced by newly appointed CEO Philippe Baudin at a meet and greet at Botswanacraft on Thursday.Baudin was celebrating the success of the choir. Looked colourful and full of life in their attire, the choir did a couple of songs that demonstrated why they were chosen as the choir to represent the country.
The choir will perform with three other African choirs, who will join Orange European Choirs. The choir, under the leadership of Mogomotsi Sekgopi, left on Saturday for the festival and will return on January 24.Receiving cheers from the crowd, the choir blessed the audience with melodic sounds of Sheleng, Dipula, E Marabele, Seleng and Masigo to name a few. The women were smartly dressed in orange skirts, white tops and blankets to symbolise Tswana culture while the men decided to wear their leopard-print vests. The choirmaster told Showtime that a group of workers who have the singing talent decided to form a choir. The choir performs at all Orange events and celebrations instead of the company spending money to hire entertainment. 'The choir started last year July and it currently has 30 members who are all aspiring singers and destined to make the company proud,' he said.He mentioned that it was during their first performance last year that they managed to grab the attention outgoing CEO of Orange Botswana, Elisabeth Medou-Badang.
'She was very impressed with the articulation of our vocals and the way we blended as a choir. She told us right then that she was going to do all she can to get us to this Paris festival,' he said. Sekgopi pointed out that what them apart from other choirs is the way they deliver their performances and the choice of songs they sing. 'We decided to sing old songs that our parents and grandparents used to sing. These are the songs that mostly tell a story about our culture, tradition and the cherry on top is the rawness of our voices,' he said.
He added that they have prepared four songs that they will perform in Paris. He said the festival is divided into two sessions where they are required to sing songs in Setswana and French. 'We will be doing Ntsha Nkgo Re Kgarithe, Dipula, Mma Mathi Mpelegele and Le Mokgoro Nka O Seka. For the French songs we have engaged Endy Batsogi of the Sedibeng Choir who is helping us learn the lyrics,' he said.