Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Dagbreek Men’s Residence placed first at this year’s SU A cappella Finals on 19 August.
This was according to Jelena Jerling, member of KuKo, the SU Student Representative Council’s arts and culture committee, and an organiser of the SU A cappella Finals.
Over 1 500 people attended the final, which was held in the Endler Hall, said Chulu Mangqo, KuKo’s organiser of the A cappella finals.
Eight SU residences and one private student organisation competed in the final, said Mangqo.
The first round of this year’s A cappella competition took place on 5 August, said Chulu Mangqo, member of KuKo and another organiser of the finals.
Dagbreek’s team progressed to the semi-finals between 8 and 9 August before competing in the finals on 19 August, said Mangqo.
(Left) Emil Lousber, coach of the Dagbreek A cappella team and Waldo Pienaar, administrator for the Dagbreek A cappella team, at the Stellenbosch University A cappella Finals. The Dagbreek team took first place at the finals, hosted on 20 August. This is the second year in a row that Dagbreek has won, according to Loubser. PHOTO: Michelle Grobbelaar
Emerging victors
“We felt like we were in a dream,” said Waldo Pienaar, administrator for the Dagbreek A cappella team, after the win.
The team practised for nine hours every day since the beginning of the second semester to prepare for the competition, said Pienaar. “The guys have been putting in so much hard work.”
“This is our third time in the finals and we are very happy that we could win for the second time in a row,” said Emil Loubser, the Dagbreek A cappella team’s coach.
The Dagbreek Men’s Residence A cappella team won multiple awards and placed first at the Stellenbosch University A cappella Finals on 20 August, said Victor Mouton, the chairperson of KuKo, the society responsible for organising the event. PHOTO: Michelle Grobbelaar
A successful night
“I’m proud of all the contestants and how everything unfolded,” said Mangqo. “We, as the audience, were able to witness how everything came together.”
“In general [Dagbreek] improved from [the] prelims to the finals, but I’m really glad because they put in the hard work,” said Victor Mouton, chairperson of KuKo.
The residence won multiple awards at the competition, according to Mouton. Including:
- Best viral moment
- Best choreography
- Best rendition of a South African song
- Best composition
- Best South African arrangement
- Best rendition of a prescribed song
- First place in the men’s residence’s category, and
- Overall winners
The aim of the Stellenbosch University A cappella Finals was to promote South African music and local young talent, said Lesedi Mnisi, host for the event. In this video, the winning team from Dagbreek is performing at the finals. VIDEO: Michelle Grobbelaar