A local Stellenbosch high school placed second in the boys’ high school prestige section at the 2023 ATKV-Applous choir competition, said Stephan Bezuidenhout, the choir director at Paul Roos Gymnasium (PRG).
The PRG Choir participated in the ATKV-Applous in Pretoria on 29 July, stated Bezuidenhout.
ATKV-Applous is an event that promotes Afrikaans songs and showcases performances of youth choirs, according to their brochure.
The choir was disappointed by their result as they were returning champions, and they won in 2019 as well, explained Joshua Calmeyer, matric student at PRG and choir chairperson.
(FROM LEFT) Cezarre Strydom, the pianist of Paul Roos Gymnasium (PRG) choir, Miguel Carelse, Paul Roos Gymnasium (PRG) head boy and choir member, Joshua Calmeyer, the chairperson of PRG choir and Stephan Bezuidenhout, the choir director of PRG. PHOTO: Michelle Grobbelaar
Stiff competition
The PRG Choir received 86.1% for their performance, said Braam de Kock, organiser of the ATKV-Applous final.
“I am quite proud of them,” said Bezuidenhout.
The choir from Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool won the competition with a score of 86.7%, stated Bezuidenhout.
After their score was announced, the PRG Choir knew that they were not going to win, according to Calmeyer.
“However, you sit and realise that you are second in the country,” said Miguel Carelse, PRG head boy and choir member.
Joshua Calmeyer (pictured above), matric student and Paul Roos Gymnasium choir chairperson. PRG choir members would stay in until eight o’clock in the evening for choir practice and concluded the day with doing homework, said Stephan Bezuidenhout who is the choir director of Paul Roos Gymnasium. PHOTO: Michelle Grobbelaar
Preparation challenges
The PRG Choir, which consists of 105 members, only had one rehearsal per week leading up to the competition, said Bezuidenhout. However, their competitors had more than two rehearsals per week to prepare for the final, claimed Bezuidenhout.
The standards for the competition were “tremendously high”, and placing second was a good achievement for the choir, explained De Kock.
“Music taught us that there is more to the world than playing rugby and playing sports,” said Carelse. “It gives us a space to be more gentle and kind.”
“Choir teaches you to push you to your limit,” explained Carelse.
The Paul Roos Gymnasium (PRG) Choir members celebrated their achievement of placing second in the boys’ high school prestige section of the ATKV-Applous choir competition by baking a cake for the PRG choir director Stephan Bezuidenhout. The cake had 0.7 on it to indicate how many points they needed to surpass the winning score of 86.7, said Bezuidenhout. PHOTO: Michelle Grobbelaar