In Conversation with Lynne Poulsen
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“Now I'm able to see the Groote Kerk with different eyes and last night we sang all those apartheid era demons out of that church. It's just so wonderful to see a building like that turned into what it was last night, and how it keeps being used.”
So says Merle O'Ryan, who sings in the Symphony Choir of Cape Town, reflecting on the extraordinary atmosphere at World Singing Day Cape Town 2026, held at the historic Groote Kerk on Saturday, 17 October.
The Ubuntu and nation-building gees that swept through the church during the event have prompted heartfelt responses from participants, many of whom described an experience that reached far beyond music.
Nearly 1,400 voices came together in an evening that brought people of different ages, cultures, races, backgrounds and musical abilities into one shared experience. Experienced choristers, professional musicians and members of the public sang side by side, transforming the audience into one enormous choir.
So says Merle O'Ryan, who sings in the Symphony Choir of Cape Town, reflecting on the extraordinary atmosphere at World Singing Day Cape Town 2026, held at the historic Groote Kerk on Saturday, 17 October.
The Ubuntu and nation-building gees that swept through the church during the event have prompted heartfelt responses from participants, many of whom described an experience that reached far beyond music.
Nearly 1,400 voices came together in an evening that brought people of different ages, cultures, races, backgrounds and musical abilities into one shared experience. Experienced choristers, professional musicians and members of the public sang side by side, transforming the audience into one enormous choir.
