Top soloists and choir join forces for fundraiser

Four years ago restaurant manager Andrew Merryweather was assaulted by a group of matric students. The injuries he sustained have left him a paraplegic. A special Re-Walk suit will enable Andrew to walk again with the aid of crutches and will have him leading a normal life again.

The cost of the suit will be in the region of R350 000 and one of South Africa's proudest musical export products, the Tygerberg Children's Choir, decided to help Andrew raise funds towards the acquisition of the suit at a very special gala concert on 29 October in Cape Town City Hall.

The Tygerberg Children's Choir is one of the world's very best children's choirs. For almost four decades the choir, based in Cape Town's northern suburbs and under the baton of conductor Hennie Loock with Theresa Loock as arranger and accompanist, has taken lovers of choral music on a very special musical journey.

Princes, kings and queens

The choir regularly performs for heads of state, princes, kings and queens and has won every major international choral competition since its inception in 1972 and has now also been crowned World Champion in two categories at the World Choir Games in China held during July 2010. This has catapulted the choir to fourth position on the Musica Mundi World Ranking List.

Its legato singing, maturity of sound, musical power and dynamic interpretation of very difficult material makes Tygerberg Children's Choir a foremost exponent in the world of international competition choirs. The choir has a vast legacy of choral CDs as testimony of its prowess.

The programme

The programme will include poignant pieces, such as Lauda Sion (Orbán György), Michael Head's Ave Maria, the spiritual Elijah Rock, the Sotho song Arihe Morija, La Lluvia (Hatfield), Kaljanner Kaljanner (Hendrik Hofmeyr) and Colourful Land, a Chinese song. Popular repertoire will include Kinders van die Wind, Karoonag, Go Tell it On the Mountain, You Raise Me Up, You'll Never Walk Alone, Pie Jesu and That's When the Music Takes Me.

Star tenor Jannie Moolman, ex-chorister and darling soprano Zanne Stapelberg, as well as crooner Harry Curtis will share the stage with the choir.

The concert will start at 8pm. Tickets are R80 and R95. Boxes available at R1200 for 10 seats. Bookings essential at +27 (0)21 531 8261, +27 (0)84 300 6388, moc.acirfai@napyttap.