Munya Vomo
Before you know it, the second season of Clash of the Choirs SA will be back on your screen. You know time has flown because it was not so long ago that Idols SA winner Khaya Mthethwa took his KZN team to victory against formidable contenders like Zwai Bala and Judith Sephuma. Mthethwa and his group coined a cool R750 000 and R250 000 of it was donated to the Siyanakekela charity in Umlazi.
Now word is out that the show is to return to our screens. As audition dates are being finalised, we gleaned some information from the people behind the show on what to expect.
“There is no doubt that Clash of the Choirs hit the mark with our viewers and we’re thrilled to be able to bring season two to fans of this brilliant reality show,” said Yolisa Phahle, M-Net’s director of Local Interest Channels.
The format of the show remains unchanged. As soon as the regional auditions are done, during which each choir or singer will perform an a capella version of a song of their choice, seven choirmasters will have to choose the singers who impressed them to form a choir. The choirmasters will then groom their respective choirs in a series of vocal exercises to prepare them for the competition.
Last year’s affair was very entertaining because it showed South Africans how exciting choral music can be. Zakes Bantwini and Sephuma were top contenders with their ingenious interpretations of non-choral music. Bala outdid all when it came to the nitty gritty of song arrangement and that was no surprise since he has been making music for a long time.
The judging panel comprised gospel musician Rebecca Malope, music producer Lindelani Mkhize and radio DJ and TV personality Anele Mdoda. Malope was always happy to be there and appeared to be impressed by everyone. Mkhize’s presence was questionable, based on his working relationship with Mthethwa, but when it came to general analysis he was in his element. While it was not clear why Mdoda would sign up for a show like this, she picked up a lot of things the other two judges missed, making her a favourite with the contestants.
Aspiring choristers should take note of the cities where the auditions will take place. In the Eastern Cape, East London has been added to the list of places set aside for auditions. Auditions will also be held in Gauteng (Joburg), KwaZulu-Natal (Durban), Free State (Bloemfontein), Mpumalanga (city to be confirmed), the Western Cape (Cape Town) and Polokwane (city to be confirmed). Audition dates to be announced.