Tour preparation: Nurturing Talent

As 2024 draws to close, the 2025 choir practices have been well underway for a number of months. Practices, selections and auditions have all taken place with this year’s choir cohort, only pausing whilst the end of year exams were held. This process narrows down the pool of learners interested in participating in the choir tour to those who will board the airplane next year and perform for three weeks around the UK. Whilst the choir tour offers learners with a unique opportunity to travel to a foreign country and experience other cultures, choir directors and school principals value the promotion and preservation the Zulu cultural heritage at home in their own schools and abroad in the UK whilst nurturing natural born talent in their own learners. 

Learners from Sipheni Senior Primary School and Sithobelumthetho Primary School, located in Madadeni, KwaZulu Natal, are participating in the Project Zulu 2025 Choir Tour and have already given a many numbers of hours to rehearsals and practising. During initial rehearsals and selections, choir directors Thulani Phakathi and Ndumiso Zungu, looked for learners who showed a natural talent and ability to sing but also a willingness to learn, work in unison with other singers around them and whose voices blended to create the signature Project Zulu Choir sound. Whilst singing ability is an important factor in selection, the choir directors also look for the special charisma needed to project their sound and engage the audience during performances. 

Now selections have taken place, rehearsals are focussed on specific items of the performances like gospel and folk songs as well as perfecting techniques of breath holding and voice blending. Rehearsals look very different to their final performances in the UK next May and have taken place in various locations around the two schools including empty classrooms, patios outside classrooms and outside courtyards. With no technology, large staging or props at the moment it is their voices which take centre stage under the summer sun this year. Rehearsing various songs and Zulu dance moves in these early weeks sets the tone for the what is to come over the next few months with learners encouraging and supporting each other as they tackle challenging moves and song arrangements. 

Behind the scenes the choir directors are planning and preparing songs and costumes, principals are meeting with parents to begin the process of obtaining the correct paperwork for the choir to travel, host families are being arranged in Bristol where pairs of learners will stay with a local family for their time in the UK and the choir tour schedule and performance locations are being finalised. Even though the academic year has finished in South Africa, planning and preparing continues throughout the summer holidays and into next year with great excitement for the UK Tour.

The Tour itinerary is still being finalised but tickets can be purchased for the finale Gala Concert at the Bristol Beacon, Thursday 5th June, 7:00PM. 
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