COTA prepares for WCG

The COTA choir consists of high school and tertiary students, as well as a young working people, who are totally committed to spending their time rehearsing four times a week.
Gabby Tjiroze
Michelline Nawatises



The College of the Arts (COTA) Youth Choir Namibia is currently in its last hectic phase of preparing to represent the country at the 2018 World Choir Games (WCG) to be held in Tswane, South Africa between 8 and 14 July.

The WCG is the choir equivalent of the Olympic Games, where qualifying competitors from across the world compete in various categories.

The COTA choir has already shown its mettle in numerous international competitions, including the 2014 WCG in Riga, Latvia, winning three golds and one silver medal in various categories.

Out of the approximately 700 choirs registered for the WCG, the COTA choir was then ranked the 169th in the world, as well as 30th in the folklore category.

“This is a huge achievement when taking into consideration that this a very young choir that managed to beat many long-established choirs in the world,” choir conductor Fanie Dorfling said.

The choir consists of high school and tertiary students, as well as a young working people, who are totally committed to spending their time rehearsing four times a week.

A selected group of 41 choristers will make up the final group that will travel to Pretoria in July to participate on this international platform together with the world's best choirs.

Most of the members hail from previously disadvantaged groups, very often from challenging home, family and financial circumstances.

In spite of all these difficulties, they rigorously attend choir rehearsals, where they not only find a spiritual home amongst their peers and like-minded choral singers, but also receive the opportunity for excellent musical development and education, which will enable them to continue with fulltime musical studies after school.

Except for regular rehearsals, the choir performs nearly on a weekly basis at one or other event as guests, or as part of a vigorous fundraising drive to secure sufficient funds to enable them to finance their trip to Pretoria.

As the WCG is an international competition, organised through Europe, all participation fees are calculated in euro. With the constantly deteriorating euro/Namibian dollar exchange rate, it has become virtually impossible to raise the final outstanding funds.

Choir member Hilaria Silvia said she is overly excited to be part of the WCG since it is the first time she will be competing.

“What I feel will set this specific World Choir Games apart from the previous ones is that firstly it is the first time the games will be held on the African continent. It is going to be different because we will be able to relate to the cultures and the songs the other choirs will offer,” said one of the choir members, Mildred Makgone.

The COTA Youth Choir Namibia does not receive financial assistance from the Namibian government or from the culture ministry.

Therefore, they are totally dependent on undertaking fundraising ventures and performances on invitation, as well as on aid from some corporate sponsors.

Individual choir members are undertaking ventures to generate finances. One of the long-standing and effective projects is muffin baking.

Choir members bake muffins and sell them at various venues and to regular customers.

The choir performed recently at an old-age home and are selling raffle tickets as well.