AWARD-WINNING gospel music outfit, Bulawayo Choristers, has started preparations for the Federation of Choral Music of Zimbabwe (FCMZ) competitions set to run from October to November this year.
BY SHARON SIBINDI
After the knockout round, the finalists will clash on November 28.
Choir member Evangelista Chenge Mukombe told NewsDay Life & Style yesterday that due to the current COVID-19 lockdown, they were currently using a voice line application for rehearsals.
“The competition usually gives a set piece, then a song of choice chosen by the choir — a set piece being a song that is sung by every choir according to how it’s composed. FCMZ has two different categories, namely community choirs and church choirs,” she said.
“We compete under two sections, western songs and also African songs. We choose these songs from a list that is provided to every choir interested. The song decisions are made by the FCMZ superiors. Western has its song list as well as African its song list under each category. As Bulawayo Choristers is a community choir, we partake under the community choir category.”
Mukombe said they were conducting their music practices via a voice line application due to disturbances caused by COVID-19 lockdown.
“As for our practising, we have voice line app groups where our director and conductor is in each of them. They introduce songs, since we learn songs from notes first before the words. They record themselves singing in that voice line app group with that certain part a group should sing,” she said.
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“So we sing then record back. If we make any mistakes, they correct us. The song is then written and is sent via PDF (protected document format). We now rely on these app practices due to the COVID-19. We work on songs almost on a daily basis and discipline pushes us to go forward. We have always done these app practices, then when we meet we just polish up here and there.”
Mukombe said the competition was inviting a lot of choirs from all parts of the country to participate.
The group recently recorded a song on coronavirus, which was written by their director Busani Nkomo.
“The COVID-19 song was written by our director and it basically raises the awareness of the deadly coronavirus, which has claimed many lives. It is also a song that advises on how to handle the situation,” she said.
