The Karoo Youth Choir started on October 19, 2023 as the Karoo Youth Ensemble in Middelburg, Eastern Cape.
As a musician and lover of music I became inspired by the choirs like the Eastern Cape Youth Choir, the Johannesburg Youth Choir, the Cantare Children’s Choir (Alberton) and the Gauteng Choristers.
I decided to do some research to see if there was any youth choir in the Karoo. I could not find one, so I saw it as a great opportunity to start one.
To work on this dream I began to get together the people whom I believed would help me achieve this. I was fortunate to get in contact with Marais van den Berg from De Aar, not far from Middelburg. I asked him to take over the ensemble. He was very happy to do that as he, too, saw that there was a need for the Karoo to have its own choir.
We are still looking for singers, therefore the recruitment goes on.
We are planning to do the recruitment roadshow around the Karoo for young people to get off the streets and join the choir so that we can bring this kind of music to the Karoo.
Youngsters (14 to 22) who would like to join the choir can contact Maestro Marais on 076 608 0794, or maraisvanden@yahoo.co.uk. You may also write to karooyouthchoir@gmail.com.