Clarendon Primary School’s senior choir has advanced to the final round of the ATKV-Applous Choir Competition from July 30-August 2, in hopes of defending their title.
The competition is SA’s longest-running and most prestigious school choir contest.
This year, 292 choirs and 16,000 singers entered and in various regional and provincial rounds during May.
The finalists have been cut down to 37 schools from SA and Namibia.
Clarendon Primary’s senior choir will face off against Namibia’s St George’s Diocesan School and Walvis Bay Gymnasium in the primary school: open category.
Last year, the mighty voices from Clarendon Primary took first place on their debut in the competition, making them the only East London school choir to have ever made it to the finals and won the ATKV-Applous competition.
At the heart of this triumph is choir conductor, Sandra Kruger, a lifelong choral music enthusiast who sang in a university choir herself, and has poured her passion and expertise into the choir.
“This is a remarkable achievement,” she said. “Our girls have worked with unwavering commitment. The preparation process demanded long hours, perseverance, and heart — but what they’ve gained is priceless.”
The road to finals involves weekly rehearsals and Saturday workshops, where the choir tackles exercises to challenge their vocal technique and musical sensitivity. “We had to try again and again with some pieces,” Kruger said. “But that’s the beauty of choir — it teaches resilience, teamwork, and the joy of making music together.”
Kruger sees choir not only as a musical endeavour, but as an essential life experience.
“Choral singing fosters a deep sense of belonging. Every voice matters. It’s a beautiful expression of collaboration — between sections, between the conductor and the singers, between the accompanist and the ensemble. It’s vulnerable, emotional, disciplined — and incredibly unifying.”
The national finals will take place at the ZK Matthews Hall at Unisa in Pretoria, where the country’s top school choirs will gather to showcase their talent in various categories. Clarendon Primary’s selection is a shining moment for the school and for East London.
Kruger believes the experience will leave a lasting impact on the choir members: “My dream is to give our girls the opportunity to see the wider world of SA choral music — to be inspired, and to imagine new possibilities for their future. This exposure is invaluable.”
