The group won the accolades through songs Baka Morena Waka by HK Pule and Herr Chavalier-Bruderlein Und Schwesterlein Act II by J Strauss, all conducted by Kgotlaetsile Dingalo, which scooped the second and third runner-ups respectively. The choir walked away with R40, 000 in prize money. In an interview with the choir’s public relations and marketing manager, Kenneth Ramosala, the TMF-NCE choral music competition was organised and sponsored by the Tiro Mpane Foundation based in the Republic of South Africa. He explained that the competition was extended to neighbouring countries and attracted choirs from Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini and Zimbabwe. He said the competition is seen as a perfect comeback of the choral music after the former and popular Telkom Old Mutual National Choir Festival.
“TMF-NCE started with the regional elimination stages from the 11 South African Provinces including Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini and Zimbabwe. Choirs were to register for the Standard, Large Category and Great Champions category sections of the competition. Andante Chorus emerged Botswana Standard Category Champions at the Regional eliminations held at the Maitisong Theatre in Gaborone on October 12, 2024,” he explained. “The choir competed against seven other choirs in Botswana. The finals of the TMF-NCE was slated for Johannesburg, South Africa, on the weekend of December 14-15, 2024 where the champions had the privilege of signing along the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra,” he added.
Furthermore, Ramosala said Andante Chorus was pitted against 11 other champions from the South African provinces and an additional two choirs. The two additional choirs were selected through an SMS voting system across the representing countries making a total of 13 choirs. He added that the choirs were given a list of repertoire to choose from the two categories of the African and Western sections. Other choirs that represented Botswana included Maikano Serenaders and KTM Choirs.
