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SA gospel group wows Edinburgh audiences

HOT PICK: The Tshwane Gospel Choir has been chosen as one of the best performances in Edinburgh Photo: Vathiswa Ruselo
HOT PICK: The Tshwane Gospel Choir has been chosen as one of the best performances in Edinburgh Photo: Vathiswa Ruselo

SOUTH African gospel ensemble Tshwane Gospel Choir is thrilling audiences at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.

The group left the country on July 27 to be part of the festival, which started on July 30 and ends on Tuesday.

Tshwane Gospel Choir was featured on the festival's fringe programme, and the group performed at various venues.

Last week, it was chosen among the best four groups at the festival. As one of the best festival performers, the group was also featured in a programme on BBCTelevision.

Two Scotland newspapers that have reviewed the group's performances have given good reviews, with one paper giving it four out of five stars.

Speaking to Sowetan about their trip, director of the group Bheki Nene said he was happy the shows were going so well.

"There is no doubt that Tshwane Gospel Choir is going places.

"Out of the 3000 shows that were part of the fringe, we are one of the best."

Nene, a former member of the two-time Grammy Award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, said having toured the world extensively with his former group, he had an idea of a working formula on international stages.

He said he knew what European promoters and audiences wanted.

"I told the choir while we were rehearsing and preparing for the fringe festival that I don't want to see anything I've seen before on stage.

"So, we had to involve experienced people like Khanyo Maphumulo and Lawrence Matshiza to create a unique concept," he said, adding it felt good for their hard work to yield such positive results.

 

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