THE heavy pairing of Mzansi Magic's Clash of The Choirs with celebrities as drawcards to spot the talent, suggests there are doubts about choral groups or their music attracting massive viewership on their own.
Seven "celebrity choir masters", including pop star Zakes Bantwini, will coach and lead participating groups in the talent search reality television show.
"While choral music is the foundation of all or most music genres in South Africa because of its beautiful harmonies, the state that it is in is actually not a positive one," says Lindelani Mkhize, Joyous Celebration founding member and conductor.
Audience figures for Imizwilili, an SABC1 choral music programme, is only at 746 335 for October.
"Yes, choral has evolved over the years but (it) has evolved in the wrong direction because we have adopted Western influences (and) that has taken away from some of the authentic stuff that used to be the signature of choral. We need to go back to loving and believing in our choral as is."
Well, Mkhize's suggestion seems unlikely with the Clash of Choirs because groups are expected to perform "both local and international chart-topping (pop) hits as well as R&B classics."
It's obvious Bonang Matheba, who is to present the show, got to host the contest to project the desired "television glamour" around choir music, attract media attention and create social network hype.
Yolisa Phahle, director of special interest Channel at M-Net believes that Matheba is an energetic host and has a huge following with Mzansi Magic viewers.
"She is inspiring, a music lover with a bubbly personality that will provide some glamour.
"As much as choirs are an attractive breeding ground for new, fresh and developing talent, we can't say they are an attractive investment," argues Mkhize, who is also group executive director for Universal Music Group - South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.
Big choir competitions, such as the Old Mutual National Choir Festival, have had to contend with shrinking sponsorship budgets, while the long-running Sowetan Mass Choir Festival was put on ice when funders balked in 2009.
That's despite the fact that music continues to enjoy the lion's share of arts sponsorship, accounting for 54% of the estimated R394-million.
Mzansi Magic's heavy celebrity approach to the competition probably emanates from the reality that choral groups don't have or enjoy the in-your-face mass media kind of popularity.
For its part, the choral music sector has not been aggressive in marketing.
Despite the hundreds of thousands who participate in choirs at school, the corporate world and communities generally regard choral music as a hobby rather than a profession.
"Choral singing is mostly done on a part-time basis all over the world, with the exception of those that choose to become soloists," says Shadrack Bokala, an arts administrator and chief executive officer at the South African Music Education Trust.
But choir music has had some inspiring successes, with the Soweto Gospel Choir and Joyous Celebration being examples of this. Can Mzansi Magic's application of celebrity gloss, stick - for long - on choral music? Time will tell.
Celebs to pep up choir show
THE heavy pairing of Mzansi Magic's Clash of The Choirs with celebrities as drawcards to spot the talent, suggests there are doubts about choral groups or their music attracting massive viewership on their own.
Seven "celebrity choir masters", including pop star Zakes Bantwini, will coach and lead participating groups in the talent search reality television show.
"While choral music is the foundation of all or most music genres in South Africa because of its beautiful harmonies, the state that it is in is actually not a positive one," says Lindelani Mkhize, Joyous Celebration founding member and conductor.
Audience figures for Imizwilili, an SABC1 choral music programme, is only at 746 335 for October.
"Yes, choral has evolved over the years but (it) has evolved in the wrong direction because we have adopted Western influences (and) that has taken away from some of the authentic stuff that used to be the signature of choral. We need to go back to loving and believing in our choral as is."
Well, Mkhize's suggestion seems unlikely with the Clash of Choirs because groups are expected to perform "both local and international chart-topping (pop) hits as well as R&B classics."
It's obvious Bonang Matheba, who is to present the show, got to host the contest to project the desired "television glamour" around choir music, attract media attention and create social network hype.
Yolisa Phahle, director of special interest Channel at M-Net believes that Matheba is an energetic host and has a huge following with Mzansi Magic viewers.
"She is inspiring, a music lover with a bubbly personality that will provide some glamour.
"As much as choirs are an attractive breeding ground for new, fresh and developing talent, we can't say they are an attractive investment," argues Mkhize, who is also group executive director for Universal Music Group - South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.
Big choir competitions, such as the Old Mutual National Choir Festival, have had to contend with shrinking sponsorship budgets, while the long-running Sowetan Mass Choir Festival was put on ice when funders balked in 2009.
That's despite the fact that music continues to enjoy the lion's share of arts sponsorship, accounting for 54% of the estimated R394-million.
Mzansi Magic's heavy celebrity approach to the competition probably emanates from the reality that choral groups don't have or enjoy the in-your-face mass media kind of popularity.
For its part, the choral music sector has not been aggressive in marketing.
Despite the hundreds of thousands who participate in choirs at school, the corporate world and communities generally regard choral music as a hobby rather than a profession.
"Choral singing is mostly done on a part-time basis all over the world, with the exception of those that choose to become soloists," says Shadrack Bokala, an arts administrator and chief executive officer at the South African Music Education Trust.
But choir music has had some inspiring successes, with the Soweto Gospel Choir and Joyous Celebration being examples of this. Can Mzansi Magic's application of celebrity gloss, stick - for long - on choral music? Time will tell.
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