Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
News Items
2022-01-28 |
Prof Smit elected as member of prestigious American Association for Thoracic Surgery |
2022-01-28 |
Prof Smit elected as member of prestigious American Association for Thoracic Surgery |
2022-01-28 |
Opinion: Ramaphosa vs Sisulu scold war: Winning hearts and minds of constituents |
2022-01-28 |
Opinion: Ramaphosa vs Sisulu scold war: Winning hearts and minds of constituents |
2022-01-27 |
“I will never stop creating,” says filmmaker, Mpendulo Myeni |
2022-01-27 |
“I will never stop creating,” says filmmaker, Mpendulo Myeni |
2022-01-27 |
UFS made steady progress in its research performance over the past five years |
2022-01-27 |
UFS made steady progress in its research performance over the past five years |
2022-01-26 |
UFS extends its condolences on the passing of Theological giant, Prof Jaap Durand |
2022-01-26 |
UFS extends its condolences on the passing of Theological giant, Prof Jaap Durand |
2022-01-26 |
UFS proud of remarkable 2021 Free State NSC matric results |
2022-01-26 |
UFS proud of remarkable 2021 Free State NSC matric results |
2022-01-24 |
Dr Bekithemba Dube advancing decoloniality agenda beyond African borders |
2022-01-24 |
Dr Bekithemba Dube advancing decoloniality agenda beyond African borders |
2022-01-21 |
New Director for Innovation and Contracts ready to engage and support researchers |
2022-01-21 |
New Director for Innovation and Contracts ready to engage and support researchers |
2022-01-20 |
UFS United Kingdom Chapter aims to reconnect with alumni |
2022-01-20 |
UFS United Kingdom Chapter aims to reconnect with alumni |
2022-01-20 |
Mercia Geises – from UFS student to Chief Executive of Standard Bank Namibia |
2022-01-20 |
Mercia Geises – from UFS student to Chief Executive of Standard Bank Namibia |
2022-01-20 |
Multilingualism initiatives gaining momentum |
2022-01-20 |
Multilingualism initiatives gaining momentum |
2022-01-19 |
Yes, Mmusi, but all begins with reconfiguring the South African curriculum |
2022-01-19 |
Yes, Mmusi, but all begins with reconfiguring the South African curriculum |
2022-01-18 |
MBA at 73 – more to come for Prof Andries Stulting |
2022-01-18 |
MBA at 73 – more to come for Prof Andries Stulting |
2022-01-10 |
Miratho project finds universities could do more to enable black working-class students to participate and succeed |
2022-01-10 |
Miratho project finds universities could do more to enable black working-class students to participate and succeed |
2022-01-13 |
Zondo Commission findings: A permanent change in SA politics |
2022-01-13 |
Zondo Commission findings: A permanent change in SA politics |
2022-01-10 |
How UFS research assists teachers in identifying children who need developmental help |
2022-01-10 |
How UFS research assists teachers in identifying children who need developmental help |
2022-01-03 |
Magic mushrooms, a first formal study |
2022-01-03 |
Magic mushrooms, a first formal study |
2022-01-03 |
A passion for excellence |
2022-01-03 |
A passion for excellence |
2022-01-03 |
UFS implements interventions to increase diversity of researchers |
2022-01-03 |
UFS implements interventions to increase diversity of researchers |
2022-01-10 |
Dr Mpumelelo Ncube driven by the need to succeed and inspire |
2022-01-10 |
Dr Mpumelelo Ncube driven by the need to succeed and inspire |
2022-01-03 |
Aoate Tsimatsima leads student-sourcing antibiotic discovery network |
2022-01-03 |
Aoate Tsimatsima leads student-sourcing antibiotic discovery network |
Free State University Choir wins competition in Prague
2009-12-15
This past weekend, the Free State University Choir, under the directorship of Mr Corné van Pletzen, won the Christmas Music Festival Competition in Prague in the Czech Republic. 25 choirs from amongst others Spain, Hungary, Slovakia and Russia also participated in the competition.
It is the first time in the 10 years that the Christmas Music Festival Competition is presented that an overall winner of the festival and the competition was announced.
The choir originally only participated in the festival part of the Christmas Music Festival. Later, at the end of the competition, they were asked by the judges to prepare a song for the prize-giving ceremony, not knowing that the judges were judging them for the competition.
Mr Van Pletzen said, “Finally, after all prizes had been handed out, a trumpet fanfare announced the Free State University Choir as the overall winner of the competition. Our choir was also requested to close the competition with a song; that we did, whereupon our students sang the National Anthem with pride and with tears in their eyes.
The choir’s presentation was unique as they included a great variety of songs in their programme, amongst others some of Mr Van Pletzen’s own compositions and a song from Africa, Wana Baraka.
According to Mr Van Pletzen, six of the choirs obtained more than 90% during the competition. The Free State University Choir was however overwhelmed with positive feedback on the standard of their presentation from the audience, other participating choirs as well as the judges.
Most of the 38 choir members have already been members of this choir for three years now and this is the third time that most of them are singing overseas.
They will bring home a beautiful glass trophy. |

Mr Corné van Pletzen. |