The Joy of Africa Choir, an acclaimed South African choral group formed to honor Nelson Mandela, will perform on April 7.
Started in 1994 in response to the release from prison of Nelson Mandela, the group, comprising a diverse cross-section of students, unemployed people, general and professional workers, decided to pursue a role in the emerging community of the new South Africa by fostering cultural understanding and promoting South African self-esteem through choral music.
Having participated in almost all major provincial and national corporate, cultural, and historical events in South Africa, the Joy of Africa Choir has made a mark internationally as a choral group. On the choir's first anniversary, they were awarded a certificate of excellence for furthering arts and culture in South Africa. In 1995 and 1996, they won provincial championships in the prestigious annual Old Mutual Nation Choir Festival.
In early 1997, the group was invited to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by then Governor William Weld, and the concert at Mount Holyoke is sponsored in part by the Massachusetts Office of International Trade.
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