Youth Choir brings in Gold

The College of the Arts (COTA) Youth Choir claimed Olympic Gold at the World Choir Games that were held in Cincinnati, in the USA earlier this month.
The COTA choir won two Gold Awards in the Folklore and Mixed Youth Choirs categories. This is  an achievement unparalleled by any previous choir. Not only was it the first time, for the Conservatoire Youth Choir to participate at this event, but they were also the only choir to bring home two gold awards. The Cincinatti World Choir Games is the world’s main choir competition, often described as the choir Olympics.
A total of 364 choirs from different parts of the world participated including South Africa, Nigeria and Zimbabwe from the African continent. The choir’s fresh approach and intriguing African repertoire prompted an invitation for a friendship concert along with the Shanghai Conservatoire Female Choir from China to the Cincinnati downtown Freedom Centre, a performance that received roaring standing ovations for every song that was performed.
Deputy Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, Pohamba Shifeta praised the group for their success, “In Namibia the choral music history runs deep, as far as the struggle for liberation, when songs were often used as the purest expression to communicate humans’ deepest feelings, and after Namibia was liberated, we did not stop singing. You have made Namibia proud by returning with two, not one, awards and because of that we are thrilled as a ministry and also as a nation, Namibia sings for the world.”
He also commended the conductor, Fanie Dorfling and the College of the Arts for their dedication to the choir and urged them to continue nurturing the young singers to become world-class choristers and well-disciplined adjusted adults.