Enlightening Entertainment
 
Absolutely African - Kearsney College Choir of South Africa - P1/2 (In Zulu)      
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Today’s Enlightening Entertainment will be presented in Zulu and English, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Zulu, and Thai.

Welcome, enthusiastic viewers, to today’s edition of Enlightening Entertainment. Today, in the first of a two-part program, we will feature the vibrant young performers of the Kearsney College Choir from South Africa.

Of the thousands of choirs around the world, the Kearsney College Choir has established itself by placing in the top 25 in the prestigious Musica Mundi World Rankings of 2010. Their dedicated conductor, Mr. Bernard Krüger, inspires this group of grade 8 to 12 students to appreciate and excel in music and explore their own creativity.

With numerous gold and silver medals from many international choir competitions, they are loved for energizing their audience. Their exciting repertoire that blends South African folk songs, pop choral, and uplifting spiritual music.

We have not seen him We have not seen Mandela
In the place where he is In the place where he is kept
We have not seen him We have not seen Mandela
In the place where he is In the place where he is kept
Hey you! Hey you! Hey you and you as well
When will we arrive at our destination

Hey you! Hey you! Hey you and you as well
When will we arrive at our destination
We have not seen him We have not seen Mandela
In the place where he is In the place where he is kept

Bring back Nelson Mandela
Bring him back home to Soweto
I want to see him walking down the streets of South Africa tomorrow
Bring back Nelson Mandela
Bring him back home to Soweto
I want to see him walking down the streets of South Africa tomorrow

We have just enjoyed the Kearsney College Choir’s performance of two songs paying homage to Mr. Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first Black president and leader in unifying the nation. The choir proudly celebrates their African cultural and spiritual heritage – and they have fun doing it. Mr. Bernard Krüger is the choir’s conductor.

It’s not boys standing on a stage singing. It’s vibrant. The boys move. They dance. They sing. They make music. They play the instruments themselves. They play all the drums. They play the xylophones, the little flutes and the saxophones, the guitars. The only adults on stage are myself and our pianist, the accompanist. And the rest is all the boys. And I think that is something unique to our choir.

Hi, my name is Stefan Grobler, and I have been at Kearsney College Choir for three years now. I’m a soloist in the choir.

My teacher, who is actually now the conductor of our choir, suggested coming here, because he said that this choir will allow me to grow as a musician. So it’s actually helped me a lot with my own musical training. And we’ve actually come very far.

This choir I think is so unbelievable in many ways. It’s unique in the way it approaches music and the way it performs music. But for me I think the real thing was just the energy that the people and the performers showed on stage when I watched it for the first time. It was so incredible I just knew I had to be a part of it.

There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him
There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him
There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him
There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him

Perhaps the highlight of any Kearsney College Choir live performance is their awesome imitation of an African rainstorm.

I think it’s the signature of our choir, and that’s probably one of the things that made us internationally recognized, was the performance of a rainstorm, where the boys simulate all the sounds of the water drops and the lightning bolts and the thunder. And for the boys, it’s very exciting to make these sounds, and at the same time for the audience, because they don’t expect these things to happen with body movements only. So definitely the nature plays a really big part in what we do.

Yeah, the beats and the slaps, they come through because as Africans we are very energetic, and we can’t just stand still while we are singing. You have to involve your whole body and your whole mind and your spirit, your soul, everything. And we try and create an authentic feel of nature when we are doing this performance.

I will now show you how we do the African rainstorm. We begin this by just rubbing our hands, which symbolizes a drizzling of rain as it comes down softly. And then the animals obviously are around as the rain isn’t too hard. So you hear the birds. And you hear the bigger animals also in the background, such as the buffalo.

And as the rain starts to come down harder, the animals go away. And the rain gets harder, and it gets harder and harder on the ground. And as it gets harder the thunder comes. And as the rain goes away and the thunder goes away it returns again. And then it goes back into a drizzle. And the animals return.

Let’s listen to the group’s remarkable performance of an African rainstorm.

The choir’s repertoire is diverse. But it is also based on the school’s strong set of religious values, as the choir’s dedicated conductor Mr. Bernard Krüger explains.

Our school is a Methodist school. That means our code of conduct includes that the Methodist Christian value system is followed at our school. We have a chapel on the campus, and each week the boys have a chapel service, and every day there is a daily devotion. The music that the choir performs plays a strong part in that value system. And it’s something that we would like to show the world.

Before we go on stage we all try and calm down and just connect with God and ourselves, and just focus on the performance. So we just ask Him to be with us during the performance and to help us.

When we go into a situation with His guidance we feel more secure and we just, we hold it very dear to our hearts.

My God is a rock in a weary land, weary land, in a weary land
My God is a rock in a weary land, He’s a shelter in a time of storm, oh yes
O I know He’s a rock in a weary land, weary land, in a weary land
O I know He’s a rock in a weary land, weary land, in a weary land
Shelter in the time of storm, oh yes
Stop and let me tell you about a chapter one When the Lord God’s work was just begun
Stop and let me tell you about a chapter two When the Lord God had written his Bible true (Holy Bible)
Stop and let me tell you about a chapter three When the Lord God died on Calvary
My God is a rock in a weary land, weary land, in a weary land
My God is a rock in a weary land, He’s a shelter in the time of storm

It doesn’t matter now It’s over anyhow
He tells the world that it was sleeping
But as the night came round
I heard its lonely sound It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping
It wasn’t roaring, it was weeping
Say ah Say ah Say ah Say ah

I think whatever category we are performing in, the real task of the choir is to incorporate the audience into the actual performance and make them feel a part of it, which I think gets us quite good results in many occasions.

You sing, Shosholoza. Alright. Here we go.
Shosholoza To those mountains The train is from South Africa

“Shosholoza” is one of the most favorite traditional Southern African folk songs. The expression “Shosholoza” means “Go forward” or “Make way for the next man.”

“Shosholoza” is about working, we are working together. It’s the train of South Africa basically. And that song is now become our unofficial anthem.

Forging ahead To those mountains
The train is from South Africa
Forging ahead To those mountains
The train is from South Africa

Now first dance!) You run away

Right, to the left!) To those mountains The train is from South Africa Forging ahead

(Ready, sing!) Forging ahead To those mountains The train is from South Africa

Thank you! Very well done!

Africans believe that the lion, or “simba” in Zulu, is master of the five big animals, or “king of Africa.” A king’s role is to protect righteousness and uphold truth throughout the land by the grace of God. This proud spirit of Africa can be heard in the song “Busa Le Lizwe” (Rule This Land).

Rule this land, Rule this land Rule this land of ours Rule with peace
Rule this land, Rule this land Rule this land of ours Rule with peace

Hail to you, Father We are grateful to you You brought us happiness And peace
Hail to you, Father We are grateful to you You brought us happiness And peace

Rule this land, Rule this land Rule this land of ours Rule with peace
Rule this land, Rule this land Rule this land of ours Rule with peace

Father, we salute you Lead us Rule this land With love
Father, we salute you Lead us Rule this land With love
Rule with love, Rule with love Rule with love, Rule with love
O Father With love Rule with love, Rule with love Rule with peace

O Father, O Father

O Father, O Father

Rule this land

Rule this land Oh me Oh me
Rule this land, Rule this land Rule this land of ours
Rule with peace Rule this land, Rule this land
You must rule with peace You must rule with peace
You must rule with peace You must rule with peace
O Father, O Father O Father, O Father O Father

Thank you happy viewers for tuning in to part 1 of our two-part series on the Kearsney College Boys Choir of South Africa. Please join us again next Friday, November 5, as our program continues with more fantastic performances. Coming up next is Words of Wisdom, right after Noteworthy News, here on Supreme Master Television. May your days be full of sunshine and vitality.
Today’s Enlightening Entertainment will be presented in Zulu and English, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Zulu, and Thai.

There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him
There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him

Welcome wholehearted viewers to today’s edition of Enlightening Entertainment. Today, in the final part of our two-part program, we return to enjoy more performances from the vibrant Kearsney College Choir from South Africa.

Of the thousands of choirs around the world, the Kearsey College Choir has established itself by placing in the top 25 in the prestigious Musica Mundi World Rankings of 2010. Their dedicated conductor, Mr. Bernard Krüger, inspires this group of grade 8 to 12 students to appreciate and excel in music and explore their own creativity.

With numerous gold and silver medals from many international choir competitions, they are loved for energizing their audience. Their exciting repertoire that blends South African folk songs, pop choral, and uplifting spiritual music.

And peace in the world We see in all lands Where we live Come Father – live with us Teach our hearts To put our trust in You Father Rest our bodies that are full of work till sunset It becomes like that in other lands Here is a song, my song Here is a song, a song of peace And peace in all lands

I think anybody who likes to see something different will enjoy the show. And I think it will inspire a lot of young people and their parents to get their children involved in music. I think music is the best way to get children focused. It gives them something active to do. And for our choir, the boys they lose sweat and they work and they exercise and they practice. And they are proud of what they are doing. So, it’s really nice to be working with them.

Most of us, we’re just from ordinary lives, from ordinary school. And you know when we come together as a choir, as a family, we actually dedicate a lot of time and sacrifice in terms of performing at a world class standard.

…Freedom is coming It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.
I am the captain of my soul. I am the master of my fate.
I am the master The master The master of my freedom

We have just heard a part of the Kearsney College Choir’s world premiere of “Invictus,” based on the famous poem by William Ernest Henley that inspired many people in times of hardship. In this setting, as composed by conductor Mr. Bernard Krüger, South African hero and former President Nelson Mandela while detained hears the voice of God speaking to him. The Kearsney College Choir strives to represent the African experience and peace-loving spirit through music.

African people are vibrant, and we’ve got a lot of sunshine all year round, and we’ve got beautiful scenery, and we’ve got animals and we’ve got nature. In South Africa we are very privileged to have mountains. We have desert, we have rainforest, we have coastline, and beautiful scenery. All of this works together to create this nation of joy and happiness.

There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him
There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him
There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him
There’s nobody like Jesus There’s nobody like him

Gumboots I think have a very important history in South Africa. The men were in the cities, and they were working in the mines and the factories. They started dancing and they realized that if they clap rhythms on the boots with their hands and they start stamping their feet, they can have fun and they can make interesting sounds and music. And that’s how gumboot dancing originated. And it’s a really truly South African thing. And it’s very exciting to see. And our boys do it quite well.

We try to have fun while we’re performing, as well as encouraging the audience to have fun with us. So, when you come to one of our performances, I guarantee that you will be entertained. It’s an entertainment experience, not only for the audience but for us as well.

Hey! You! Does your mother know? Oh!

For us when we sing it’s more than just a communication between each other, we are trying to convey a message towards the audience. And if they are enjoying it, we even enjoy it more.

I'm okay, I'm alright (he's alright, he's alright)
There’s no defeat I just got to get out of this prison cell
Someday I'm going be free, Lord!
Find me somebody to love

Here comes a lion, Father (Oh yes, it’s a lion)
Here comes a lion, Father (Oh yes, it’s a lion) Father
It is a lion It’s a leopard with spots

The 1994 film, “The Lion King,” is Walt Disney’s much beloved animated tale with its story based in Africa. The movie soundtrack was produced by famous British musician Elton John and acclaimed lyricist Tim Rice. Let’s enjoy Kearsney College Choir’s medley of the film’s classic songs.

There's far too much to take in here More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high In the sapphire sky
Keeps us warm on the Earth that is round
It's the Circle of Life And it moves us all
Through despair and hope Through faith and love
Till we find our place On the path unwinding
In the Circle The Circle of Life

I'm gonna be a mighty king, so enemies beware!

Well I've never seen a king or beast With quite so little hair

I'm gonna be the main event Like no king was before I'm brushing up on looking down I'm working on my roar

Thus far a rather uninspiring thing

Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Everybody look left Everybody look right
Everywhere you look I – Stand in spotlight

Not yet!

Let every creature go for broke and sing

Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing

It's gonna be King Simba's finest fling Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Oh, I just can't wait to be king! Oh, I just can't wait to be king!

Hakuna Matata! (Hakuna Matata!)
What a wonderful phrase (Is a wonderful phrase)
Hakuna Matata! (Hakuna Matata!)
Ain't no passing craze (Ain't no passing craze)
It means no worries for the rest of your days
It's our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna Matata!
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna Matata!
It means no worries for the rest of your days
It's our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna Matata! Hakuna Matata!

Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings The world, for once, in perfect harmony With all its living things
Can you feel the love tonight?(tonight)
You needn't look too far (too far)
Stealing through the night's uncertainties Love is where they are

It's the Circle of Life And it moves us all
Through despair and hope Through faith and love
Till we find our place On the path unwinding
In the Circle The Circle of Life

In our religious program, the last song is called “O Siyeza.” And that has to do with our ancestors. In African cultures, the ancestral spirits play a very important part, and they take care of us here on Earth. So, at the same time, when we are busy singing about God and about his protection of us on Earth, we also singing about our heritage and about our country, and how what’s happened before is there to take us into the future.

And in our performance, we have combined it with our national anthem, which is “God Bless Africa,” “Nkosi sikelel i.” And I think the two work very well together.

Through all the days that eat away At every breath that I take
Through all the nights I’ve laid alone
In someone else’s dream, awake
All the words in truth we have spoken
That the wind has blown away
Oh it’s only you that remains with me Clear as the light of day

(Oh we are coming)
Oh I’m coming

(Oh we are coming)
I’ll be coming

(We will arrive no matter what)
You know the tide is turning

(Oh we are coming, Oh we are coming)
Oh I’m coming

(Just for a short time)
You know the tide is turning

(We will land on the other side)
Over these dark lands

(on those dark mountains)
Going to touch your face

(where we will lay down)
Going to lay you down

(all the suffering)
In your place

Inside a boy looks up to his father
For a sign of an approving eye
Oh, it's funny how those once so close and now gone Can still so affect our lives

(Oh we are coming)
Oh I’m coming

(Oh we are coming)
I’ll be coming

(We will arrive no matter what)
You know the tide is turning

(Oh we are coming, Oh we are coming)
Oh I’m coming

(Just for a short time)
You know the tide is turning

(We will land on the other side)
Over these dark lands

(on those dark mountains)
Going to touch your face

(where we will lay down)
Going to lay you down

(all the suffering)
In your place

Oh we are coming, Oh we are coming
We will arrive no matter what

Oh we are coming, Oh we are coming
Just for a short time
We will land on the other side
on those dark mountains
where we will lay down
all the suffering
The children of Africa
Take me now
Take me now
Don’t let go
Don’t let go
Hold me close
Hold me close. I’m coming home.

(Oh we are coming)
Oh I’m coming

(Oh we are coming)
I’ll be coming

(We will arrive no matter what)
You know the tide is turning

(Oh we are coming, Oh we are coming)
You know the tide is turning

Going to make my crossing
(We will land on the other side)
Over these dark lands
(on those dark mountains)
Got to touch your face
(where we will lay down)
Go, let me down
(all the suffering)
In your grace

Our applause and appreciation for the Kearsney College Choir for creating invigorating, delightful music performances to share with the world. Wishing you the best of success as you continue bringing joy and upliftment to audiences worldwide.

Hi, I am Bernard from the Kearsney Choir from South Africa. And I would like to say, Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet!

Thank you, kindhearted viewers, for joining us on Enlightening Entertainment. Coming up next is Words of Wisdom, right after Noteworthy News, here on Supreme Master Television. May your days be full of happiness.

Please Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet!

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