Lilongwe choir to preserve folk songs

After successfully hosting an open choral presentation on the Easter weekend at Mpico Mall in Lilongwe, Lilongwe Community Choir plans a choral presentation on Malawian folk songs.

Dan Kauma, director of the acapella choir, said the choral presentation on Malawian folk songs is geared at preserving and promoting the country’s culture.

“We enjoyed having people patronising our choral presentation on Easter. But we are extending our programme to Malawian folk songs. This will cover most songs which we sung in the villages and in primary school. But this time we will arrange them in an exciting choral format,” said Kauma.

The choral presentation will be spiced up by different local percussions such as drums and visekese.

He said it is the responsibility of every Malawian to preserve the country’s cultural expressions that are currently endangered by external influences.

According to Kauma, the folk songs will border around topical issues such as climate change, environment, development, child labour and child marriage, HIV and Aids and albinism.

Malawi has a number of contemporary choral groups, but few diversify their roles by preaching on other issues other than the gospel.

Asked why this is the case with Lilongwe Community Choir, Kauma said: “Lilongwe Community Choir was established to promote choral singing through concerts and street performances. Overall, the group seeks to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in all its aspects by the presentation of public concerts, recitals and issues that affect our country.” n