Die koor-storie/ The choir story
Die Hoërskool Wonderboom Skoolkoor:
Die skoolkoor van die Hoërskool Wonderboom in Pretoria staan sedert 1986 onder die leiding van Mnr. Albert Morland. Gedurende hierdie tydperk het die koor sukses op vele terreine behaal waaronder 10 goue toekennings op streeksvlak vir die ATKV-Applous kompetisie en 7 goue (Disa) toekennings tydens die nasionale finaal vir diesel
fde kompetisie. Die koor was die eerste in die geskiedenis van die destydse Direkteurstrofee wat dit 8 keer kon wen, en was ook die eerste koor wat dit in al 3 kategorieë kon regkry: Gemengde- (3 keer), Seuns- (2 keer) en dogterskoor (1 keer). Die koor het dubbelgoud behaal tydens die Gauteng Eistedfodd, A en A+ toekennings tydens die Pretoria Beeld Eistedfodd asook eerste plekke in meer as een plaaslike kompetisie. Hulle het jaarliks werkswinkels saam met bekende en gerekende dirigente (plaaslik sowel as internasionaal) en het al vele internasionale kore en groepe gehuisves. Die koor toer dikwels na verskillende dele van Suid-Afrika en neem deel aan koorfeeste, kerkdienste, seminare, “flashmobs” en ander funksies - dikwels saam met bekende Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars. Die koor het in 2012 en 2014 op uitnodiging deelgeneem aan profesionele produksies van die ATKV tydens die Aardklop Nasionale Kunstefees. Die koor is ook bevoorreg om reeds etlike kere in die buiteland te kon reis. Tydens 9 oorsese toere na Europa en die Ooste het die koor onder andere deelgeneem aan die Shrewsbury Internasionale koorfees in Engeland asook die Cantus Salisburgensis fees in Salzburg, Oostenryk. In 2007 eindig die koor onder die top 10 in die “Voyage of Songs” Internasionale kompetisie in Thailand en verteenwoordig Afrika tydens die openings-en afsluitingseremonies. In Desember 2005 en 2010 neem die koor in Praag deel aan die Internasionale Advents- en Kersmusiek kompetisie en behaal onderskeidelik ‘n 4de en ‘n eerste plek in die kategorie vir jeugkore. In 2010 word die koor ook, met 93.3%, as “Festival Laureate” (algehele wenner) van die kompetisie aangewys. In 2016 toer sowat 26 lede van die skoolkoor saam met lede van die volwasse koor onder die vaandel van Conwonnité na Spanje waar hul aan die “Golden Voices of Barcelona” Internasionale koorkompetisie deelneem. Hierdie kombinasiekoor eindig eerste in die kategorie vir geestelike- (kerk) musiek en wen ook die “Grand Prix” toekenning as algehele wenners van die kompetisie met ‘n puntetelling van meer as 95% in die kategorie vir tradisionele musiek. Dit bied aan die koor die geleentheid om in die Sagrada Familia katedraal in Barcelona op te tree. In 2018 neem die koor aan die 10de Wêreld Koorspele (wat in Tshwane aangebied word) deel waar hulle met 79.5% ‘n silwer medalje ontvang en onder die top 10 eindig in die kampioen-kategorie C5: Gemengde Jeugkore. Saam met die Magaliesberg Kinderkoor vorm hulle die WonBerg Jeugkoor wat ‘n goue diploma asook ‘n 2de plek verwerf in die ope-kategorie O27 vir tradisionele musiek met bewegings. In die 33 jaar sedert Mnr. Morland die leisels van die koor geneem het, het ongeveer ‘n 1000 lede die geleentheid gehad om deel van die koor en sy aktiwiteite te wees. Baie van hierdie lede het vir die volle 5 jaar van hul hoërskoolloopbane gesing en verskeie vreugdevolle reunie-naweke, kuiers en konserte getuig van vriendskapsbande wat nooit sal breek nie. Ons voer grootse werke van komponiste soos Handel, Mozart en Beethoven uit naas die nuuste pop- en koormusiek. Ons is trots op die mylpale wat ons tot dusver bereik het - groot of klein - en alhoewel ons baie hard werk is daar ook tyd vir hope pret. Koormusiek, tradisies en waardes word die fondasies waarop ons ons lewens bou en getrou aan ons skool se leuse groei en leer ons saam as ‘n koorfamilie en dien ons ander met die gawe van ons musiek. Getrou aan ons eie koorleuse sal ons voortgaan om uit ons harte te sing en ook so te lewe! Cantate Cordibus!
_______________________________________________________________
Wonderboom High School Choir:
The choir was founded in 1986 by Mr. Albert Morland who has since held the reigns in his very capable conducting hands. During this time the choir has achieved success on many levels: Locally they have received 10 golden diplomas on provincial level for the “ATKV Applous” competition in the category for advanced, mixed high school choirs; and 7 golden diplomas on national level for the same competition. They were the only choir in the history of the Director’s trophy who won the award 8 times and they were also the first to do so in all three categories: mixed- (5 times), boys’- (twice) and girls’ choir (once). They have also received double gold at the Gauteng Eisteddfod, A and A+ awards at the Pretoria Beeld Eisteddfod and first place in their category in more than one local competition. They have annual workshops and master classes with well-known and respected conductors (both locally and internationally) and have hosted many international choirs and groups. They regularly tour different parts of South Africa and also participate in festivals, church services, “flashmobs”, seminars and other functions, often in collaboration with well-known South African artists. In 2012 and 2014 they were invited to take part in professional productions for the ATKV at the Aardklop National festival. The choir has had the privilege to travel extensively, undertaking 9 international tours to Europe and the East and participating in festivals such as the Shrewsbury International Music festival in England and the Cantus Salisburgensis festival in Salzburg, Austria. In 2007 they placed under the top 10 in the Voyage of Songs International competition in Thailand and represented Africa during the opening- and closing ceremonies. In December 2005 and -2010 the choir participated in the Prague Advent and Christmas Music Competition and respectively received a 4th place and a 1st place in the category for youth choirs. In 2010 they also bagged the title “Festival Laureate” (overall winners of the competition) with 93.3%. In 2016 some 26 members of the school choir (under the auspices of Conwonnité Choir) participated in the “Golden Voices of Barcelona” International competition in Spain. This combination-choir placed first in the category for church music and received the Grand Prix award as overall winners of the competition with a score upward of 95% for their rendition of traditional/folk music. They had the opportunity to perform in the Sagrada Famillia in Barcelona. In 2018 the choir competed in the Champions’ Category for mixed youth choirs at the 10th World Choir Games hosted in Tshwane. They received a silver medal and placed under the top 10 in the category. Joined by the Magaliesberg Children’s Choir they formed WonBerg Youth Choir and received a golden diploma and 2nd place in die Open Category O27: Scenic Folklore. In the 33 years since it was formed, close to a thousand members have had the opportunity to participate in the activities of this choir. Many of these members had sung for the full five years of their high school careers and many joyful reunion weekends and concerts have been held, testifying to the strong bonds of friendship formed over the years. Major works by composers like Handel, Mozart and Beethoven have been performed, as have the latest pop- tunes. We are proud of our achievements, big and small, and although we work very hard, we also have tremendous amounts of fun. Choral music, values and traditions become the foundations on which we build our lives. In keeping with the motto of our school we grow and learn together as a choral family and serve others with the gift of our music – and true to our own motto we will continue to sing with our hearts for all our lives. Cantate Cordibus!
