A special farewell concert for UJ Choir ahead of historic world symposium performance

Before taking the sound, spirit and artistry of South Africa to one of the world’s most prestigious choral stages, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Choir offers audiences an opportunity to witness the magic right on home ground.

The UJ Choir Farewell Concert will take place on Saturday, 15 August 2026, at 15:00 at the UJ Arts Centre’s Keorapetse William Kgositsile Theatre and will feature the choir’s programme that will be presented on the international stage.

The concert marks an important moment in the choir’s journey as it prepares to represent South Africa and the African continent at the World Symposium on Choral Music 2026 in Macau, China.

Selected from hundreds of choirs from around the world, the UJ Choir is one of only 13 ensembles invited to perform at the symposium and the only choir representing the African continent. In a further honour, the choir has been invited to officially open the symposium programme, a distinction reserved for leading choral ensembles from across the globe.

This historic invitation is more than an opportunity to perform. It places UJ Choir at the centre of a global exchange between conductors, composers, scholars, educators and some of the world’s most respected choral ensembles. Through its performance, the choirwill share the richness of African choral music, the creativity of South African composers and the artistic excellence that exists on our diverse continent.

The symposium’s 2026 theme, Reimagining the Future, resonates strongly with the University of Johannesburg’s commitment to innovation, creativity, African excellence and the role of the arts in shaping a more connected future.

For Johannesburg audiences, the Farewell Concert offers the first opportunity to experience the complete programme that the choir will present in Macau. Rooted firmly in UJ Choir’s distinctive identity, the programme features music composed and arranged predominantly by South African musicians.

The repertoire celebrates the languages, stories, rhythms and lived experiences that shape South Africa’s musical heritage, while presenting a bold and contemporary expression of African choral music.

“This concert is for everyone that has supported, encouraged and carried us to this point,” said Sizwe Mondlane, Senior Choirmaster of the UJ Choir. “Before we take South African choral music to Macau, we want to share this programme with them. We want people to experience it and then send it off into the world with the utmost confidence of authentic representation.”

UJ Arts & Culture invites audiences, alumni, friends of the choir and members of Johannesburg’s wider choral community to be part of this significant send-off.

Join the UJ Choir for an afternoon of powerful music, South African storytelling and celebration as the ensemble prepares to carry the voices of home onto the world stage.

Date: Saturday, 15 August 2026 Time: 15:00 Venue: UJ Arts Centre (Keorapetse William Kgositsile Theatre) Tickets: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/386643-university-of-johannesburg-choir-farewell-concert/#/

About UJ Choir
The University of Johannesburg Choir stands as a beacon of musical excellence. It consists of eighty students from the university that study a range of qualifications, excluding music. 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 fly the University of Johannesburg flag with pride.

About UJ Arts & Culture
UJ Arts & Culture, a division of the Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture (FADA) produces and presents world-class student and professional arts programmes aligned to the UJ vision of an international university of choice, anchored in Africa, dynamically shaping the future. A robust range of arts platforms are offered on all four UJ campuses for students, staff, alumni, and the general public to experience and engage with emerging and established Pan-African and international artists drawn from the full spectrum of the arts.

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.

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