University of Pretoria Camerata

The University of Pretoria – Tuks Camerata is one of five choirs that the University of Pretoria, South Africa has on its campus. The other four are The UP OVUWA, The University of Pretoria Youth Choir, The University of Pretoria Jacaranda Children's Choir and the University of Pretoria Concert Choir. It is the official Choir of the University of Pretoria

Biography

The Camerata was officially established on 20 March 1968. Its mission is to make a contribution towards the cultural development of the student corps and the cultural enrichment of the community through choral singing. The choir also endeavours to promote a worthy image of the University of Pretoria through striving towards the highest possible artistic standards together with a code of conduct that meets the highest requirements of companionship.

The choir operates under the auspices of the Department of Music of the University of Pretoria. The conductors have always aimed for high artistic values. The choir has previously been conducted by:

  • Adolf Theron
  • Willem van Tonder
  • Petru Grabe
  • Prof. Johann van der Sandt January 1999 – June 2008
  • Richter Grimbeek From August 2008 (ad interim)
  • Christo Burger From January 2009
  • Michael Joseph Barrett From April 2013

Camerata is generally a small choir with between 40 and 60 voices. The exact number differs between choir years.

Highlights and achievements
  • 1989 and 1993 – Roodepoort International Eisteddfod of South Africa, First Prize for Mixed Choirs
  • 1994 – Tallinn Choir Festival (Estonia), First Prize for Mixed Choirs
  • 1996 – Fourth International Symposium on Choral Music, Sydney (Australia), Guest Choir
  • 1999 – International Choral Competition for Advent and Christmas Music, Prague (Czech Republic), Category Winners and Overall winner of the competition
  • 2001 – SNK International Choral Competition Arnhem (Netherlands), Second Prize for Mixed Choirs
  • 2001 – Singkreis Porcia International Choral Competition, Spittal an der Drau (Austria), Winner
  • 2002 – 6th World Choral Symposium, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States), Guest Choir
  • 2004 – Concert Tour to the United States
  • 2006 – Concert Tour to Kenya and Tanzania
  • 2007 – Competition Tour to Italy and concert tour to Austria, first prize in the Jazz and Pop category at the 46th CA Seghizzi International Choral Competition, Gorizia.

Repertoire

The choirs larger scope works include: Misa Criolla (Ramirez), Messiah (Handel), Weihnachtsoratorium (Bach), Missa aulica (Mozart), Mass in E minor (Bruckner), Requiem (Fauré), Requiem (Mozart), Ein deutsches Requiem (Brahms), Elijah (Mendelssohn), Magnificat (Bach), A Carol Cantata (Hendrik Hofmeyr), Carmina Burana (Orff)

2010

The repertoire of 2010 includes:

  • Ave Maris Stella ~ Javier Busto
  • Bin-Nam-Ma (Lluvia Larga – Edless Rain) ~ Alberto Grau
  • Dies Irae
  • Ecco ~ Pieter Bezuidenhout
  • The Elegy of Anne Boleyn ~ Jeffrey Biegel
  • Ich bin ein rechter Weinstock ~ Heinrich Schutz
  • Neišeik, Saulala ~ Vytautas Miškinis
  • Salve Regina ~ David N. Childs
  • Verleih uns Frieden ~ Felix Mendelssohn
  • Voices of Autumn ~ Jackson Hill

2009

The repertoire for 2009 consists of:

2007

The repertoire for 2007 includes:

2013

The repertoire for 2013 includes:

  • Indodana Rolf Schmitt
  • Gloria Ralph Hoffman
  • In der passionzeit Felix Mendelssohn
  • Sure on the shining night Morten Lauridsen
  • I'm gonna sing til the spirit moves in my heart Moses Hogan
  • O Crux ave Rihards Dubra
  • Open Thou Mine Eyes John Rutter
  • The Majesty and Glory of Your Name Thomas Fettke
  • Ar laiku puķes vīst Peteris Vasks
  • Things that never die Elanor Daley
  • Traditional African Music

Membership

Membership of the choir is open to all registered students of the University of Pretoria younger than 30 years. Candidates need to successfully pass an audition to be accepted into the choir. The choir auditions for the year 2009 differed from the traditional Camerata auditions mainly because of the new conductor (Christo Burger). Candidates simply had to sing a traditional folklore song and after that do vocal tests. The auditions were held from 28 January to 5 March 2009. After that the 2009 choir was announced, and rehearsals began.

From 2010 onwards the auditions are held as usual: a candidate must pass a standard audition, as well as "Know-your-music" audition, where he/she sings excerpts from the repertoire for the year to show the conductor that he/she knows the music.

Cultural development

The choir regards it as its duty to play a formative role in the cultural-spiritual endowment of its members within the milieu of discipline and commitment. Amidst the great need for expertise in choral conducting, the Tuks Camerata endeavours to be a training ground for future choir conductors.

The conductor

With Johann van der Sandt's departure in June 2008, the Camerata employed Christo Burger as official new conductor. The Camerata appointed Michael Joseph Barrett as the official conductor as from 1 April 2013.

Recordings

The choir has released a number of CDs in conjunction with the Singkronies Chamber Choir, The University of Pretoria Chorale and Can't'Afrika.

The most recent CDs are:

  • An international Collection of Choral Music – The Tuks Camerata (2006)
  • Khutso – Chant for Peace – Singkronies Chamber Choir, The University of Pretoria Chorale and Can't'Afrika (2006)
  • Voices of Autumn – University of Pretoria Camerata (2012)
  • Phoenix – The University of Pretoria Camerata (2014)
  • Love and War – The University of Pretoria Camerata (2016)
  • Indodana – The University of Pretoria Camerata (2017)
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References
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