The Seychelles National Choir (SNC) received a Peace and Friendship award and a special award for good performance at the 17th China International Chorus Festival held in Beijing from July 15 to 19.

Competing in the category of mixed adult professional choirs, the Seychelles National Choir,  accompanied by their director and conductor, Sun Xiaoju Lownam, was recognised with the Peace and Friendship Award for bringing everyone together at the closing ceremony.

The Special Mention Award certificate from the Soong Ching Ling Foundation recognised the choir's well-balanced strong singing and performance in general.

The festival featured professional choirs from all over the world and participants had the opportunity to exchange skills and exhibit their talents.

Speaking to SNA following their success at the festival, several members expressed their pride and joy at being able to not only display their skills on a world stage but also showcase Seychellois culture.

Bianca Bonnelame, an alto singer, said that apart from Chinese songs such as 'Tong Yi Shou Ge,' they also performed several local pieces.

"Our expectations for cultural exchange were exceeded. We engaged in various cultural activities, such as traditional fan-making, which provided us with a deeper appreciation of Chinese culture. Our performances, particularly those showcasing Seychellois culture and music with drums, such as "Zwe sa Lanmizik," "Ayo Pangar," and "Zim Boum Boum," resonated deeply with the Chinese community, highlighting the uniqueness and beauty of our traditions. Another significant piece we performed was "Ofer Lanmitye" (Offer Friendship) in Creole," she said.

Members with certified medals after climbing the Great Wall. (Irene du Preez) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

Bonnelame added that the festival was intense, demanding early mornings, long commutes, and multiple performances in a single day but "despite the challenges, we found immense joy in connecting with choirs from around the world. The spirit of camaraderie was palpable, especially with choirs like those from New Zealand and Singapore, whose youthful energy and vibrant performances inspired us greatly."

Piano accompanist and bass section singer, Jude Sinon, said that they had been preparing for quite some time to prepare for this competition and "to represent my country in such a prestigious and top-level competition in high-end theatres. It was nice to share and exchange cultural experiences with other groups. The National Choir showcased our local songs to show our cultural diversity not only in singing but through dance as well."

One of the youngest members of the National Choir, 17-year-old Gareth Mounac, is a piano accompanist and a bass singer. He found the experience to be rewarding and fun as well as learned new techniques. 

"I liked it very much. I was looking forward to performing in different theatres as an Accompanist and singer and seeing other choirs from around the world performing which sounded very good," he added. 

The oldest member of the Choir with 20 years of experience, Tom Anderson, described the competition as an opportunity for them to grow and gain more confidence.  

Members relaxed after the competition. (Irene du Preez) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

"The trip helped and will continue to help us improve as a choir in several ways.  First, we got to see first-hand the singing, directing, and choreographic techniques of other high-level Chinese and international choirs. Second, performing in the competition in front of a panel of expert judges gave us input on the areas in which we can improve as a choir.  Third, was the confidence and experience gained from singing for large international audiences as well as the judges. The week of rehearsals and performances culminated in our final performance on Thursday night which received a boisterous standing ovation from an appreciative audience," he explained.

Anderson added that through this trip they were also able to gain insight into the Chinese culture, especially through socialising with people, sightseeing tours to important historical sights as well as observing their day-to-day life.

"One of the things that especially left a lasting impression was the friendliness and discipline of the children, who not only sang beautifully but were always smiling and waving to us wherever we went.  I am sure the Chinese people and choirs that we met also gained some appreciation for Seychellois culture by meeting and interacting with us, as well as hearing our music which included a repertoire of Creole songs.  For example, when we performed 'Zwe sa la Mizik' (Play this music) by Patrick Victor, it was almost certainly the first time the Chinese experienced Moutya music and dance," he shared.

The Seychelles National Choir, performed twice a day for the duration of the festival which featured choral activities, choral forums, choir evaluation, high-level concerts featuring both Chinese and international choirs, master classes and public welfare activities.

Apart from singing, the Choir had a cultural exchange at the historic Prince Kung's Palace, a tourist and busy place with a lovely courtyard built in 1777 in a traditional style and similar to the Forbidden City of the Emperor. In a closed section of this Palace, the group shared the experience of making traditional fans with a musical group from Tennessee, United States.

The choir also visited the mountains of Fangshan, where the famous museum and concert hall of Peking Man is located and also got the chance to climb the Great Wall of China.