Botswana: KTM to Stage Massive Mogae 'Send-Off' Concert

Botswana: KTM to Stage Massive Mogae 'Send-Off' Concert

Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)

20 February 2008
Posted to the web 20 February 2008

Maureen Odubeng

Kgalemang Tumediso Motsete (KTM) Choir will stage an open concert on March 1 at which five other associate choirs will perform as a massed ensemble.

The event is not just your normal choral concert because it is intended to honour outgoing President Festus Mogae, as well as to celebrate KTM's 15th anniversary. The concert is also intended to pay tribute to the late Dr Kgalemang Tumediso Motsete, the man whom the choir is named after.

KTM founding director Gomolemo Motswaledi explained to Showbiz yesterday that the concert is a three-tier, as it will not only serve to pay tribute to Motsete, who inspired the formation of the choir, but also to acknowledge President Mogae as a major motivational supporter, who undoutedly made a big contribution to the choir's meteoric rise.

"The KTM choir has on the basis of His Excellency's support to the choir 15 years ago when it started and he was only Vice President, decided to commission a team to do a short piece to punctuate Mogae's tenure as leader of the nation. The piece will be a special dedication to a music loving President exiting government," said Motswaledi. The piece composed to honour Mogae is a collaborative effort by Motswaledi, Luka Disho, and Puso Phetwe. Motswaledi further explained that Mogae, whom he describes as a musical person, was very instrumental during the choir's formative years. As Vice President, Mogae attended most of their concerts, thus giving moral support.

The concert, as previously indicated, is quite special as patrons will see Motswaledi resurrect his talents as choir director as he will be the guest conductor.

After the concert KTM choir will be heading for Graz, Austria, to participate in the prestigious fifth World Choir Olympics in July. The largest and most successful choir competition of the world is scheduled to begin from July 9 through to July 19. The competitions will take place in two rounds and it will have 28 different categories, with the first round beginning on July 9-13, and the second round starting on July 15-19.