Mohalenyane Phakela
CHORAL outfit, Mohapeloa Singers, will share the stage with clap-and-tap group Ba Khethiloeng Ke Morena in a show slated for Sefika Hall on Sunday.
According to Mohapeloa Singers’ conductor, Motebang Matsemela, the show would mark the first time in the country a choir co-hosted a show with a clap-and-tap group.
“We were approached by Ba Khethiloeng Ke Morena last year to hold this show, but we were reluctant to accept the offer as we did not see how it would work considering that the genres are dissimilar even though we both don’t use instruments,” he said.
“We then sat down with the Mohapeloa Singers committee to discuss the matter and decided to try it out and see where it would take us.
“To my knowledge, there is no choral group in the country that has shared the stage with a clap-and-tap outfit, so the show will be the first time it would happen. Judging from the responses we have received so far, fans are eagerly awaiting the event and we also cannot wait to deliver.”
Matsemela also said his group would perform the Lesokoana, Linoto and Monyanyako choral styles during the show that will start off at 12pm. He also revealed that they would donate their share of the show’s proceeds to a yet to be identified children’s or old age home.
“We believe this will not be the last time we are working with Ba Khethiloeng Ke Morena as we are planning to have a number of shows throughout the year,” he said.
“We will also perform in Bloemfontein in April this year and in our three annual major shows; two of which are held in the country and another in South Africa.”
Mohapeloa Singers was formed in 1993 and named after the late composer, JJ Mohapeloa. It has over 80 members and clinched the third position at the annual African Melody Festival in both 2014 and 2015.