We need to make a careful study of both the traditional singing and the traditional music that our forebears left us as our heritage. Most of our singers do not understand the technique employed in singing traditional music. We need to make a careful study of the scales employed in traditional music and then attempt to use versions of those scales in our compositions and arrangements. In the oldest forms of our traditional music, pentatonic and hexatonic scales are used, with a preference for the former. I wish to commend singers of traditional African music, like Princess Magogo Buthelezi, to singers who wish to learn something of the style of traditional African singing.
Voices soar and costumes dazzle at major choir competitions.
Perhaps for opera seems to be thriving. The sound of South African jazz is unique - and exportable. Now jazz artists are also finding outlets at home. In the better-sponsored events, some of these massed choir items are rendered with orchestral accompaniment. The SAB-Sacma national finals provided us with an exciting first the National Chamber Orchestra accompanied each of the 18 choirs that participated.