Senzenina

Senzenina – translation:

What have we done?

Our sin is that we are poor

Our sin is that we are black

They are killing us

Let Africa return.

The Melbourne Welsh Choir, arguably one of Australia’s best male voice choirs, presents a truly eclectic collection of international music on Senzenina.

The varied programme had two sources of inspiration. First were innumerable requests from audiences to record the music that was so much a part of their 1997 tour to South Africa. Second was a wish to capture the talent of some of Australia’s emerging singers, including Sally-Anne Russell, Kim Wheeler and Lynlee Davies, past winners and finalists of the ‘Singer of the Year’ competition.

The result is a programme of popular and new international music: from Sally-Anne Russell’s Verdi prati to the sublime Pie Jesu from Kim Wheeler and Lynlee Davies; from Linda O’Brien’s entertaining take on The Entertainer to fresh arrangements of The Water is Wide, Away in a Manger and the haunting Take Me Home; then culminating in the powerful songs of Africa.

In the Welsh tradition of nurturing artistic talent, the Melbourne Welsh Male Voice Choir formed the ‘Singer of the Year’ competition in 1993. By the time of this recording it was an established annual contest, and the title was highly coveted. The disc marks the beginning of a tradition of recording the young singers who enter each year.