By Patience Bambalele
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA — Phelelani Mnomiya and Qinisela Sibisi have contributed greatly to the growth of choral music. Ali Mpofu of Ukhamba Productions, the brains behind the Sing Africa Sing concept, says it is important to honour outstanding choral music talent such as composers, musicians and legends.
“We honour them because they have nurtured this art form here in Africa,” he says.
“I have noticed that choral music is the backbone of various genres. Some of our musicians and singers come from a choral background before they broke into mainstream jazz.”
Mnomiya is a lecturer in choral music studies at the University of Kwa-Zulu-Natal and has composed songs for schools and adult choirs. Sibisi was born in KwaMashu in 1963 and wrote the first movement of the Zulu Mass (the Kyrie- Nkosi Sihawukele) in 1989. He wrote Shayani Izandla Zizwe Zonke in 2010 and it was performed for the first time last year.
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