It’s truly breathtaking to have goosebumps from the sheer force of human voices, and the Stellenbosch University (SU) Choir does not disappoint. Their unique sound for a variety of choral music underscores their ability to move mountains in this town. This in itself was evident as a line traced Victoria Street for the Choir’s free Lunch Hour Concert on 8 May 2025.
The Choir performed an assortment of songs from their competition repertoire and moulded grotesque and emotive lyrics into evangelical sounds. While the talent of each individual is immense, it’s easy to see that the beauty of the performance is uniting the diversity of voices into a perfect symphony.
However, talent is matched by dedication in the choir. Marli Davel, a third year BCom Law student and member of the choir, explains that “we practice, normally, 2 hours and 30 minutes per week. In the first and second term we have choir weekends once a month where we practice on Friday for three hours, Saturday for seven hours and then again on Sunday for three hours.”
Davel said that “The best moment is the first time you hear the music come together and just settle and come naturally. I also love the community. We are all busy students who have many hobbies and other things we do, but we all share the same goal of making great music and singing together.”
The Choir will be heading to Denmark for the 6th European Choir Games and Grand Prix of the Nations. André van der Merwe, the conductor of the renowned choir, explained that “This is the first time since 2018 that we can afford to travel again.”
While the Choir has held a prestigious first position on the Interkultur international rankings for 12 years, they still require financial aid to get every member to Denmark for what Davel describes as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Currently 49 of the 101 students in the choir are unable to pay for this experience. They have a GivenGain campaign open for donations.
By Emma Theron
