THE UNIVERSITY of Johannesburg Soweto Campus hall was a couple of hundred people short of earning the Imilonji KaNtu Choral Society the "packed to the rafters" bragging rights for their 30th anniversary performance.
Among those present at the performance on Sunday were former first lady Zanele Mbeki, retired Independent Electoral Commission chairwoman Brigalia Bam and Struggle veteran Emma Mashinini.
After a prayer and sermon the choir started the performance singing almost in a whisper and with solid and enchanting harmony. Voices rose in unison, ascending to the heavens and then descending to earth in a superbly coordinated form - following the command of conductor and founder George Mxadana.
Mild applause tailed the end of each song, thanks to an attentive audience that cut across age groups - from toddlers to pensioners.
The familiar church song, Webathandwa got the crowd moving, actively becoming part of the performance, first with ululation and then singing along. Some people even tried to out-dance and out-sing the choir.
JP Mohapeloa's Tsatsi la Thabo received a much warmer reception than MM Moerane's Sylvia.
When the choir returned after the break, dressed in traditional garb, the performance hit a high. First the excitement built up with a collaborative presentation with the Soweto Opera Quadro leading the performance of popular compositions such asAve Maria and You Raise me Up.
The songs Jikijela and Ugwayimane were fashioned more in an original African choral form, complete with rhythmic hand claps, a bit of drumming and various African dances moves.
The excitement threatened to tear the hall apart as the sounds of the electric dance music played out of the sound system to match a collage of fast-paced Vatsonga and Vha-Venda dance moves.
Choral singing would simply not have been able to keep up with the fast-as-lightning dance moves from the North. The crowd went wild.
Imilonji had reason to celebrate its 30th anniversary with such a colourful show. Its existence in the last three decades has been characterised by countless highs. These include winning many Sama awards and several local competitions, performing in competitions abroad and performing at both the inaugurations of former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki.
Its founder, Mxadana, was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in silver in 2008.