Jonge Studente is no ordinary Malay choir. Hulle is ‘n top team!
They are among the most well respected, admired, and feared teams in the Cape Malay Choir Board.
Their chairman, Ahmed Ismail, is a Malay choir veteran who is uncompromising in his approach to competition.
He says with a serious face: “Jonge Studente play to win. We take no prisoners!”
Jonge Studente was established in 1973 in the humble township of Manenberg by Osman Hoosain (Chairman), Yusuf Samuels (Treasurer), Fuad ‘Kokkie’ Samuels (Music Director), Ismail ‘Mylah’ Fataar (Secretary), Armien Manuel (Secretary), Achmat Slamdien (President), Omar Abrahams (Trustee), Mallick Abrahams (Manager), and 14 other members.
At that time, they had affiliated themselves with the Cape Malay Choir Board (CMCB) but could not participate in the first year of competition because some of their members had yet to be cleared by the CMCB.
The choir enjoyed phenomenal growth in numbers and the quality of their singing.
They quickly became one of the top contenders in the CMCB, winning the coveted Silver Fez for the first time in 1980.
Daai wassie ‘n geluk nie, Studente is no ordinary choir!
Since then, they have won the Silver Fez nine more times and the Top 8 competition seven times; they have also won the Presidents Cup six times.
Soe a record wil gebeat wees!
Notable members over the years included Anwar Gambeno, Armien Vardien, Mogamat Luddy, Abubaker Hoosain, and Usuf Benjamin.
In 1989, Studente appointed Mrs. Rosa Salmon from the Cape Town Welsh Choir as their musical director.
This strategic move ultimately transformed the way of singing within the Malay choir fraternity. To keep up with Studente, the other choirs were forced to follow suit.
Many traditionalists strongly disagreed with the direction that Malay choir singing took at the time, but there was no denying that the quality and standard of singing had gone up a few notches.
According to Mr Ismail, Jonge Studente always strives to lift the standard of their choral renditions: “We are not afraid to push the boundaries and challenge the norm.”
Jonge Studente has had success at more than one level.
In 1991, the choir participated in the Roodepoort International Eisteddfod and was awarded the Gold Medal for their performances in the Folk Song category.
In 2013 Studente came with a ground-breaking Welsh choir based Nederlandse lied, Groot Vogelen.
Everyone agrees that it was amazingly done, and many say (for better or worse) that this performance was a game changer for the way the liedjie gets sung in competition performances these days.
Earlier this year, they won their section, the Top 8 and Silver Fez. They called it “The Year of the Treble”.
Most choirs followed suit the following year with the liedjie, causing an outcry among traditional Nederlandse liedjie lovers.
Tradition VS Innovation in the liedjie is a debate that rages on to this day.
In 2015, in the absence of the Grand Finale, Studente won the first-ever Champs of Champs competition in the Good Hope Centre.
Mense, to keep a choir at the top of the game isn’t easy!
It takes lots of dedication, sweat, money and sabr (patience).
It also requires a strong executive committee, and Jonge Studente has a great management team led by Chairman Ahmed Ismail.
Ghakeem Larney, Faizel Davids, Shafiek Burns, Fadiel Cloete, Rashaad Patton, and Aslam Fortune make up the exco with Ahmed Ismail, who is also the Head of Music.
A geharde singpak like Studente puts in hours and hours of rehearsals to get the results they want. Like all our Malay choirs, their members are young and enthusiastic.
One thing is certain, Studente kom mettie ding! Watch this space!
Disclaimer - Information published on Jonge Studente was supplied by the choir Exco. We apologise if any names have accidentally been left out.
Catch Malay Choir tourney
Tickets for the CMCB sectional competitions at the City Hall this weekend are selling out fast.
Section 2 is sold - out already!
Limited tickets are available for Friday and Sunday nights. Contact the respective choirs or Whatsapp at 0824040771 for tickets for sections 1 and 3.
Many people are still asking, so here are the sections again for the three nights:
Section 1: Friday, 8 November 2024
1. Angeliere
2. Studente
3. Jonge Manhattans
4. Boarding Boys
Section 2: Saturday, 9 November 2024
1. Young Men
2. Parkdales
3. Young Ideas
4. Ottomans
5. LG Boys
Section 3: Sunday 10 November 2024
1. Rangers
2. Villagers
3. Marines
4. Primroses
The competition will start as follows:
Friday 8th November 19h30pm. Doors open at 5pm
Saturday 9th November 5pm. Doors open at 3pm
Sunday 10th November 5pm. Doors open at 3pm
There will be a specific queue for pensioners and VIP ticket holders. Strict security will be maintained by conducting body searches for undesirable objects and substances. No exceptions will be made. Anyone found with such items will be handed over to SAPS.
InnieKaap wishes all the CMCB choirs (members and supporters) the very best as they enter competition this weekend.
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