The Knightingales, the junior choir at Curro Brackenfell in the Western Cape, have been resting their voices, having belted out prize-worthy top notes and scooping first place at last weekend’s Sing in Harmonie Choir Championships in Pretoria.

The school’s senior choir also came in a fantastic third place at what is currently one of the biggest school choir competitions in South Africa. About 130 school choirs from around the country participated in this annual competition and the finals were aired on DSTV.

Curro Brackenfell has been competing since 2016 when the choir only had about thirty learners.  Since then, both the junior and senior choirs have grown tremendously, with more than 156 learners singing their hearts out at weekly rehearsals, 58 in the junior choir, and 98 in the senior. Both choirs are no strangers to winning big either, having been awarded a top three spot in the competition every year since 2019.

This year, the learners were accompanied by teachers and parents including teacher Myrtle van den Heever, who together with Lelanie Hoffmann is responsible for choosing music pieces for both choirs and coaching the learners.

Speaking of the win, Van den Heever said “What an incredible achievement. Yet again, our learners have accomplished a remarkable triumph, but their successes are a testament to not only their enthusiasm and commitment to singing, but also the continued support of our parents and fellow teachers,” she said.

Also commenting on the great news, Executive Head, Izak Nagel said “We are incredibly proud of all our choir members. This is a huge achievement for us all. Our learners really enjoy all things music, with about 200 studying it in class. The opportunity to participate in a national championship not only provides an opportunity to enjoy a healthy competition, but it also develops their confidence and passion outside of the school curriculum which is invaluable”.