GEORGE NEWS - A Women's Day concert in the George Civic Centre had the audience on their feet, clapping and singing along to the music of South African music legend PJ Powers on Friday 9 August.
The unique concert, the culmination of the annual SCST Cantamus National Choir Festival, was a collaboration between Powers and the South Cape Children's Choir under the baton of Jan-Erik Swart. The joint concert featured many of PJ's greatest hits, arranged for choir by Swart, but also included unreleased numbers that had the large audience on their feet, clapping and singing along.
The Victoria Park High School Concert and Jazz Band was the opening act of the evening, which was attended by school choirs from all over South Africa, including the University of Pretoria Youth Choir, the ultimate winners of the competition.
But it was PJ's stage energy, combined with the refined choral sounds of the South Cape Children's Choir, with titles like Welcome to Africa, The Right to Learn, Jabulani, Sanbonani, Destiny, and a massed choir finale of Shosholoza, Asimbonanga and The World in Union that overwhelmed the audience. PJ reflected that the evening was one of the highlights of her long music career.
South African music legend PJ Powers took centre stage at the George Civic Centre last Friday, performing with the South Cape Children's Choir in a rousing concert that had the audience on their feet.
After singing an unreleased title, Born to an Audience, PJ announced that she would be recording its track for release with the South Cape Children's Choir within the next few weeks.
A possible PJ Powers tour of Australia with the South Cape Children's Choir is also being planned.
The four-day annual festival, presented by Southern Cape Sport Tours, the South Cape Music Academy and the George Junior City Council, kicked off with a concert on Thursday 8 August featuring 20 choirs and local boy band "Upstream" of Glenwood House School, and ended on the Saturday evening with a laureate prize-giving concert that had the Civic Centre filled to capacity.
A professional video production of the PJ Powers concert as well as the entire competition can be ordered on 084 645 9320.
PJ Powers on stage. Photos: Nandi Labuschagne
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