The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Choir invites audiences to join them for an afternoon of choral excellence at the University Choirs Concert on Saturday, 20 September 2025, at the UJ Sanlam Auditorium, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus.
This much-loved concert welcomes some of South Africa’s celebrated university choirs to share the stage in a vibrant celebration of the rich choral tradition that thrives across these institutions: the University of Pretoria (UP) Camerata, North-West University (NWU) PUK Choir, and the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Choir. Together, they will present a programme that reflects the diversity, excellence, and spirit of the South African choral scene.
The University Choirs Concert is a cornerstone event in the South African choral calendar, offering singers and audiences alike the opportunity to engage with the very best in the field. It is our mission to uphold the high standard expected of South African university choirs while fostering the growth of the choral music tradition for future generations.
“This biennial gathering of northern university choirs is a highlight in our events,” says UJ choirmaster, Sizwe Mondlane. “And to host it in the time that UJ celebrates two decades makes it that much more of a special occasion above gathering with our friends in music that have, in many ways, journeyed with us.”
The University Choirs Concert 2025 will be held on Saturday, 20 September 2025, at the UJ Sanlam Auditorium, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus of the University of Johannesburg. The performance will commence at 15:00, with doors opening at 14:30 to welcome guests. Tickets are available at R150.00.
For more information, contact the UJ Choir office on 011 559 3705 (Kamohelo) or via email on choir@uj.ac.za
About University of Johannesburg Choir
UJ Choir has bloomed into a musical hybrid that reflects the struggles of the country’s past and hope for its future. Formed in 2005 from the former RAU Choir and RAU Chorale, the choir consists of students of the university that study a range of qualifications that do not include music. It has since raised the South African flag up high in Austria, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Slovakia, New York, Namibia and many more.
Excelling in both Western and African choral repertoire, the choir prides itself in artistic innovation and musical integrity. UJ Choir has won numerous awards and continues to be a beacon of pride for the University of Johannesburg.
In addition to UJ Arts & Culture, FADA (www.uj.ac.za/fada) offers programmes in eight creative disciplines, in Art, Design and Architecture, as well as playing home to the NRF SARChI Chair in South African Art & Visual Culture, and the Visual Identities in Art & Design Research Centre. The faculty has a strong focus on sustainability and relevance, and engages actively with the dynamism, creativity, and diversity of Johannesburg in imagining new approaches to art and design education.
About University of Pretoria Camerata
This year marked a transformative chapter for the University of Pretoria Camerata, as the choir embarked on a long-awaited tour to the United States. From singing beneath the neon lights of Times Square to performing in Washington, D.C., and reconnecting with dear friends at Missouri State University, the journey was as musically enriching as it was personally profound. Highlights included collaborations with exceptional high school choirs and an ambitious recording project in Texas, completed over 333 takes and 18 hours. The tour culminated in former conductor, Dr. Michael Barrett and Camerata’s debut on the world-renowned stage of the ACDA National Conference in Dallas, echoing alongside 4,000 choral musicians. Having returned with renewed purpose, the choir now stands at the threshold of a new season – after the resignation of Dr. Barrett at the end of March, Renette Bouwer was appointed as Interim Conductor. With a distinguished 25-year tenure at the University of Johannesburg, she has guided young voices through times of profound artistic and cultural change. A highly respected figure in South Africa’s choral landscape, she honours Camerata’s rich legacy while charting bold new paths in its unfolding story.
About North-West University Choir
The North-West University (PUK) Choir was founded in 1955 and has been under the inspired direction of Kobus Venter since 2012. Its overarching aim is threefold, namely; to serve the broad cause of good choral music, to give students the opportunity to hone their talents and develop as balanced people, and to inspire the sense of God’s proximity. Over the years, the choir has released nine CDs that have won numerous awards, including a SAMA. In 2014, the choir won two gold medals at the World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia, and two more at the 2018 World Choir Games. In 2019, they were the winners of the Prague Advent and Christmas Choral Festival with Eben’s Prize. The PUK-Choir is a choir that strives to make good music. To sing well goes without saying, but the core is to give heart to the music. In this way, music binds us, moves us, and is our humanity.
About University of the Free State Bloem Choir
The University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus Choir is one of four UFS choirs administered by the Arts and Culture office within the division of Student Affairs, founded in 1966 by Prof. Chris Swanepoel as the first conductor. The choir is also known as the Kovsie Choir and is an 80–100-member ensemble with a composition based on diverse students from the Bloemfontein Campus. In October 2023, the UFS Institutional Choir (a 60-member combined choir of all three UFS campuses) participated in the European Choir Games in Norrköping, Sweden. The choir walked away as winners of both their categories and won gold. The choir was also awarded a gold medal from the Grand Prix of Nations at the European Choir Games. Under the current music directorship of Mr Werner Stander and accompanied by Dr Frelét de Villiers, the choir boasts itself as one of the flagships of the university, contributing to student success through the promotion of a positive and vibrant student experience that promotes student well-being and overall development. The choir reflects what it means to be a true Kovsie; as the saying goes, “Only a Kovsie Knows the Feeling.”