For many years South Africa has been dominating the international choral scene reaping top rewards and producing choirs sought after worldwide. Presently they have three Choirs amongst the top 10 in the world. In 2008 they received 16 Gold and 8 Silver Medals in Graz (Austria). In 2010, at the World Choir Games in China, they were awarded 1Silver and 6 Gold Medals - to mention but a few of the many competitions they participated in and triumphed at.

Now, for the first time ever, one of South Africa’s most prominent cultural organizations, the ATKV (Afrikaanse Taal en Kultuur Vereniging), decided to open its doors to the world to participate in one of its competitions, the ATKV-Animato Competition. The ATKV was founded in 1930 by culture-starved railway workers to promote Music, Poetry and Art. Since then it has grown from strength to strength, so much so, that in South Africa, the only place where schools, universities and communities can find the highest level of competition is at one of the ATKV’s annual country-wide competitions. At these ATKV competitions the choirs get to meet and this is where their basis of performing outstanding choral music is laid.

Participating in the ATKV-Animato competition will become one of the highlights on the choral calendar.  Imagine the diversity – not only will choirs compete against other choirs from around the world, but in South Africa alone, they will experience eleven cultures, eleven languages, putting eleven choral experiences into practice!

The ATKV-Animato international competition will be held from 26 to 29 September 2013, and will be repeated annually thereafter.

Lizelle van Staden
Project-Organiser
ATKV-Animato