Benutzer:Justus Brücke/Baustelle
| Justus Brücke/Baustelle | |
|---|---|
| Logo der Schule | |
| Schulform | Chorschule |
| Gründung | 23. Januar 1967 |
| Ort | Winterton |
| Grober Fehler bei {{Info ISO-3166-2|code=ZA-ZN}}! | |
| Staat | [[ | ]] |
| Koordinaten | 29° 1′ 20″ S, 29° 26′ 8″ O |
| Schüler | etwa 100 |
| Website | www.dbchoir.info |
Die Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School ist eine Schule in der Nähe der kleinen Stadt Winterton inmitten der Drakensberge in der südafrikanischen Provinz KwaZulu-Natal. Sie besteht aus zwei unterschiedlichen, jedoch eng miteinander verknüpften Elementen: zum einen die Schule selbst und zum anderen der Chor.
Die Schule dient der Ausbildung der Sänger des Drakensberg Boys’ Choir und ist somit eine Jungenschule. Sie wurde 1967 gegründet und ist nach eigenen Angaben die einzige Chorschule Südafrikas. Etwa 100 Jungen im Alter von 9 bis 15 besuchen die Schule in den Klassen 4 bis 9. Zur Schule gehört ein Konzertsaal mit 600 Plätzen, der 1995 gebaut wurde und in dem der Chor jede Woche auftritt. Der Chor ging schon in den USA, Europa, Japan, Taiwan, Mauritius und vielen afrikanischen Ländern auf Tournee.
Das Ziel der Schule besteht darin die Jungen in einem christlichen Umfeld auf das Leben vorzubereiten und zu Führungspersönlichkeiten heranzubilden. Dies soll durch hervorrangende Leistungen in Musik, wissenschaftlichen Fächern, Sport und als Bereicherung der Gesellschaft erreicht werden.
Geschichte
John Tungay gründete die Schule in den sechziger Jahren des vergangenen Jahrhunderts. Am 23. Januar 1967 begann für 20 sorgfältig ausgewählte Schüler der Unterricht. Innerhalb kurzer Zeit stieg die Anzahl der Schüler bis knapp über 100. Seitdem blieb die Schülerzahl relativ konstant. Die Familie Tungay ist immer noch sehr mit der Schule verbunden.
Ein großes Problem waren von Anfang an die hohen Kosten für die Führung einer spezialisierten Schule mit spezialisiertem Lehrpersonal in einem eher abgelegenen Gebiet in Südafrika. Der Sitz der Schule im Champagne Valley in den zentralen Drakensbergen ist der Schulleitung aber als Inspirationsquelle wichtig.
Schule
Die Schule umfasst ein Gebiet von etwa 40 Hektar. Die Einrichtung der Schule war von Anfang an sehr einfach. Im Jahr 2006 … Bereits 1995 baute die Schule ein Konzertsaal mit 600 Plätzen und moderner Ton- und Lichttechnik und ersetzte damit die alte Halle, die nur 80 Zuhörern Platz bot. Der neue Saal ist während der wöchentlichen Auftritte und den vielen Festen oft beinahe voll besetzt. Die Zuhörer sind Touristen aus dem In- und Ausland, Schüler und Lehrer anderer Schulen, die zu Besuch sind.
There has also been construction of a new boarding establishment, of which phase one was completed at the start of 2009. It has brought on a large improvement in privacy and comfort.
In partnership with corporate supporters, a strategic plan to upgrade facilities is currently in place and through a phased approach will see the conversion of the current infrastructure into modern facilities compete with the best independent schools in the country.
Even with the proposed upgrading, the country atmosphere will never be lost.
The size of the school dictates small classes and an enviable teacher / pupil ratio, which allows teachers to work with – and understand – each pupil as an individual
Tourneen
From an early age, the Drakensberg Boys' Choir has toured internationally, and the countries visited - and where the Choir has been received with consistent acclaim - include the USA and Canada in the West, Japan and Taiwan in the Far East, the entire continent of Africa, and virtually every country in Europe.
Every year, the Choir plans to tour overseas, and such is its national and international reputation, the School is able to generate funds for its Capital Development Plans and makes a major contribution in this way to its very high running expenses. As can be seen below, the Choir has represented its country on numerous occasions, bringing great credit to itself, and immense joy to its patrons.
The Choir has been to the United States four times, (with the freedom of Jacksonville, Spartanburg and a special award from Disney's Magic Kingdom being conferred on them) and to Canada. During their second visit to the USA, four soloists took the top honours at an International Singing Competition in Des Moines, Iowa.
In Europe they have sung in the UK, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, Poland and, by Papal request, at the Vatican City before 25,000 people. During the Choir School's 25th anniversary year, the Choir was acclaimed one of the best in the world in the triennial World Boys' Choir Festival in Poznań, Poland.
The boys have toured much of Africa, singing in Egypt, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia. The boys have also undertaken tours to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Japan, Turkey, Finland, Australia and Scandinavia, and the Choir has just received an invitation to undertake tours to China and Korea.
One of the Choir's major triumphs has been its tours, at the invitation of the Min On Cultural Organisation, to Japan in 1997, 2001 and 2002.
In 1997, the Choir performed 32 concerts in a seven week tour, and sang to full houses on each occasion, the audiences totalling approximately 50,000 people. The undertaking was repeated in 2001, and the Choir experienced a similar reaction in 2002.
Musik
Conductors of the Drakensberg Boys Choir have included: Botes Gresse who has returned to the DBCS to take up the position of Rector. Christian Ashley-Botha - retired from the DBCS in 2006 after 26 years of loyal service. Rudolf de Beer - left in 2006 to take up a post at the University of Stellebosch. Bernard Kruger - left at the end of 2009 to take up the position of Choirmaster at Kearnsey College.
The choir is currently conducted by the school's Director of Music, Johann van der Sandt, who joined the DBCS from the University of Pretoria and Rykie Boeke who headed the music department at The Wykeham Collegiate.
The Choir is representative of the multi-faceted cultures that make up South Africa. It has created a new trend in the international choral scene that transcends the conventional. A unique style of diversity - Bach, Beethoven, Freddie Mercury, African sounds, Jazz, Folk, etc.
The Drakensberg Boys’ Choir captivates audiences with its unique and diverse style of music, which demonstrates the versatility and depth of the Choir’s ability. This can be especially seen and heard with the recent addition of more modern art music. The Choir is internationally acclaimed for its unique African repertoire, containing various traditional works like 'Shosholoza', and 'Night Sounds' where the boys imitate the sounds of the African Bush. They also perform a ‘Gumboot Dance’, which originated on the South African mines. Using authentic African instruments and body percussion as accompaniment, the boys perform traditional African works as have never been experienced before!
The Choir also excels in music such as Handel’s "Messiah", Mozart’s "Requiem", Bernstein’s "Chichester Psalms", Bach’s "Magnificat", and many more works of this stature.
Alben
The Drakensberg Boys' Choir School has many CDs for sale from traditional African music to Andrew Lloyd Webber. These are available to order from the school's website. The DBCS is currently working on a new CD for launch later in 2010.
Weblinks
- Official site
- Maria Magdalena de Beer: Die Bydrae van die Drakensberg Seunskoor tot die Musieklewe in Suid-Africa: 'n historiese Oorsig (Contribution of the Drakensberg Boys' Choir to music in South Africa), Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe, Universiteit da Pretoria, April 2008
- Concert Review - Drakensberg Boys Choir - U.S. 3/2007, reviews by Lynn Schoch and Gene Hickman, ChoirBase
- J. B. Lan (Jiří Bulan): Slavík z Dračích hor, 2008 May 6, in Czech about the first Czech member of the school, in English about the school
- Drakensberg Boys Choir School, Discover Our Drakensberg – Your Guide to the Drakensberg Mountains and Natal Midlands.
- Andrew Marr: Boys Singing Together: A Brief History, boychoirs.org, 2005
