Pro Carmine Choir

Grahamstown-based a cappella group, the Pro Carmine Choir, touring the Eastern Cape Midlands area and perform in Bedford and Cradock on Saturday 24 October, 2015

and Somerset East on Sunday 25 October, 2015.

 

The 20 strong outfit presented a varied programme, beginning with music of the 1500s by the likes of John Dowland, Hans-Leo Hassler and even Henry VIII and moved on through Mozart (Ave Verum) and traditional spirituals (My Lord, what a morning) right up to George and Ira Gershwin (I got rhythm), Cole Porter (Let’s do it) and Ben E King (Stand by me).

 

2015 year was also the 70th birthday of the British composer, arranger and founder of the Cambridge Singers, John Rutter, and the choir is doing two works by him – his arrangement of the traditional Dashing away with the smoothing iron and The banquet fugue.

 

Choir master, Peter Breetzke – one of the choir’s founding members – said a concert tour had become an annual event which, in the past, has included Hogsback and Nieu Bethesda.“

 

They try and add to their repertoire every year and, of course, enjoy singing in Grahamstown.

 

But it’s always a good experience to travel and sing to different audiences with different musical tastes,” he says.

 

The choir was started in 1979 by Dorothy Hart, a music teacher

at Victoria Girls High School in Grahamstown.

 

With one break of about a year, it has been going strong ever since.

 

Breetzke adds, “We’re lucky this time round to be singing

in three of the Eastern Cape’s most beautiful churches”.

 

Dates and times are as follows:

24 October, 2015: Bedford (as part of the Bedford Garden Festival) -

11am at St Andrew’s Church, Jan van Riebeeck Street.

 

Entry is free but you are invited to make

a donation which will go to the

Bedford Retirement Village Garden.

 

Cradock - 7pm at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Bree Street.

 

SOURCE: http://www.somerset-east.co.za/event/pro_carmine_choir_tour