For immediate release
South African youth choir lights up Kelowna

University of Pretoria Youth Choir (UPYC)—South Africa’s most renowned high-school-aged choir—is coming to town for an electrifying evening of song. UPYC performs in concert Tuesday, April 26, 7:30 p.m. at Kelowna’s Evangel Church.

With their powerful voices, UPYC embodies hope and unity for their home country. The choir combines 80 students from 33 schools, drawing together youth from every cultural and socioeconomic background, with repertoire spanning all eleven of South Africa’s official languages. Onstage, they display an intense and joyful bond that easily transcends their differences. Over the years, UPYC has amassed a huge number of national and international awards, including gold medals at the World Choir Games.

The choir is being hosted in Canada by Edmonton’s Kokopelli Choir Association, which has been “sister choirs” with UPYC since 2010. That spring, a much-anticipated UPYC Canadian tour was heartbreakingly cancelled at the last minute because of the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland. Three years later, in 2013, Kokopelli spent a month in South Africa, finally connecting face-to-face with UPYC for an extended visit (and several performances). The two choirs have also shared several members back and forth for six-month exchanges.

Now, finally, Kokopelli can introduce UPYC to Canadian audiences. “I don’t think it’s possible to hear UPYC, and not come away feeling better about the world,” said Scott Leithead, Kokopelli’s artistic director. “Their spirit, their optimism, and their wonderful music go straight to your heart.”

See University of Pretoria Youth Choir (with Edmonton’s Nuf Sed Jazz Choir) Tuesday, April 26, 7:30 p.m. at Evangel Church (3261 Gordon Drive). Tickets ($20) are available at upyc1.brownpapertickets.com, and at the door.

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INTERVIEW REQUESTS: Scott Rollans [email protected]
HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOS: tinyurl.com/UPYC-photos
UPYC on YouTube: tinyurl.com/UPYC-video
BBC radio profile: tinyurl.com/UPYC-BBC