The annual diocesan choir competitions took place on Saturday 14th September 2013 in the Christ the Redeemer Hall. The event was very well supported, with fifteen choirs taking part and a large audience present throughout the long day, supporting all the performers enthusiastically.
Nine choirs participated in the Standard section, and six choirs in the Large section. Each choir performed in four categories.
In the standard section, the piece for the Mixed Double Quartet was Hymn 232. This category was won by Misty Mount, with Riverside second and Nyandeni third.
Misty Mount also won the set psalm category, which was a section of Psalm 119. The prescribed piece was Oh Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion from Handel's Messiah. The winner was again Misty Mount, with Mqanduli second and Xhoxonsa third. In the choice piece the winner was Xhokonxa, with Mqanduli coming second and Drakensberg third. Unsurprisingly, Misty Mount was the overall winner in the standard section, Xhokonxa second and Drakensberg third.
In the large section, the first piece was Mozart's Alleluia arranged for female voices. This was won by Xhugxwala, with the Cathedral coming second and Tsolo third. The set psalm was Psalm 121, and this was won by St Andrews, closely followed by Tsoloand then Zimbane. The prescribed piece was Worthy is the Lamb, also from Handel's Messiah, and was won by St Andrews, with Tsolo coming second and the Cathedral third. In the choice piece the three winners were St Andrews, Tsolo and Xhugxwala. The overall winner was Tsolo, with Xhugxwala coming second and the Cathedral third.
The adjudicators commented on the overall high standard, and the nearly five hundred choristers who participated are to be congratulated on their commitment.
