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03 January 2020
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Story Xolisa Mnukwa
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Photo Supplied
The UFS Bloemfontein Campus, South Campus, and Qwaqwa Campus choirs are student-centred choirs functioning under the Student Affairs’ Arts, Culture and Dialogue office.
It has been a noteworthy year for the University of the Free State (UFS) Choir, establishing itself on the student/university choir scene. The choir, based on the Bloemfontein Campus, represented the UFS at the bi-annual KUESTA choir festival earlier this year, showcasing its musical talent. The choir shared a stage with other university choirs from around the country.
The UFS (Bloemfontein Campus) Choir is a 42-member ensemble of students; the other two choirs, based on the South and Qwaqwa campuses, consist of 40 and 62 members respectively. The choirs are administered and managed by the Division of Student Affairs’ Arts, Culture and Dialogue Office. In addition to Kovsie culture, the choirs strive to have a varied repertoire of inclusive music, with the UFS BFN Campus choir performing a diversity of songs in English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, and Sesotho.
The new South Campus choir was established in 2018 and is led by choir director, Bonisile Gcisa, who specialises in choral music. This leg of the choir will therefore perform many of his works, but will also include some of the Bloemfontein choir’s set lists, since most of the choir members will be auditioning in 2021 for the Bfn choir when they change campuses.
The Qwaqwa Campus choir will lean more towards a choral genre under the direction of Sipho Khumalo.
The UFS Bloemfontein Campus choir was officially re-established under the leadership of choir conductor Leona Geldenhuys in March 2018, and has performed at several events, including the Rector’s Concert, the annual KUESTA choir convention, and the Bloemfontein Choir invitational. The group has also held a number of public performances on the Thakaneng Bridge at the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.
“Part of the UFS Student Affairs’ objective is to create an inclusive and a socially just student lived experience, and that is the mandate the choirs will also adopt. We hope to create an experience that not only enhances our students’ singing abilities, but also contribute to a more inclusive university experience.” – Angelo Mockie – Director: UFS Student Affairs Arts, Culture and Dialogue office.
“Rest well, be safe, and return rejuvenated,” were his parting words to students for the festive season.
Graduates bloom at 2014 Spring Graduation Ceremony
2014-09-12
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On Thursday, 18 September 2014, our university celebrated the 2014 Spring Graduation Ceremony. A total of 727 diplomas and certificates were conferred to graduates from all seven of our faculties.
Well-known satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys was the guest speaker at both ceremonies on the day. “A person seldom gets the job he or she wants,” Uys said. “The secret is rather to become the job you want to have.”
He referred to comic examples from the South African history in order to describe to graduates that the power is in each and every South African to contribute to a good democracy.
“In a good democracy, the people lead and the government follows. Go out and lead.”
The Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences, Health Sciences and Natural and Agricultural Sciences conferred their degrees at a morning ceremony, followed by a later afternoon ceremony for the Faculties of the Humanities, Education (CE, NPDE and ACE excluded), Law and Theology degrees.
The following amount of diplomas and certificates, up to and including honours degrees, were conferred during the graduation day:
- Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: 167
- Faculty of Health Sciences: 119
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: 155
- Faculty of the Humanities: 185
- Faculty of Education: 66
- Faculty of Law: 29
- Faculty of Theology: 6