Chorale de Kigali Promises a Joyful Christmas Celebration at 11th Annual Carols Concert

This Friday, during a press conference at the BK Arena, the leadership of Chorale de Kigali promised concertgoers that they would experience the true joy of Christmas through their upcoming Christmas Carols concert.

Set to take place this Sunday, December 22, 2024, at the BK Arena, this event marks the 11th edition of the Christmas Carols concert, a beloved tradition that has been held annually since 2013.

Chorale de Kigali, one of the most renowned choirs in the Catholic Church, was founded in 1966 and has been serving the community ever since. The choir performs regularly at Saint Michel Cathedral in Kigali. With a membership of over 300 singers, approximately 120 are active, as the choir’s roster fluctuates with members coming and going for various reasons.

Over the years, the choir has faced a number of challenges, as shared by the choir’s director Bigango Valentin . "One of our biggest hurdles has been the lack of a dedicated and spacious venue for music performances," he explained.

Bigango Valentin, Director of chorale de kigali.

Bigango added that "The spaces we use often aren’t designed as musical theatres, which makes it difficult to fully showcase the beauty of our music. This forces us to invest heavily in additional equipment to ensure our performances are of the highest quality. We hope the relevant authorities will support us in securing better spaces for our music."

In 2018, the choir faced another challenge when they sold more tickets than the venue could accommodate, resulting in overcrowding. This led to the difficult decision to refund tickets for some attendees.

Despite these hurdles, the choir is excited for this year’s concert. When asked what attendees can expect, the choir’s director shared, “This year’s concert will feature new songs chosen by our fans. We’ve listened to their feedback from last year and selected songs they love, which we’ll perform at this concert. We want to ensure that the audience enjoys the music they most appreciate.”

This annual concert has become a much-anticipated event, helping to usher in the festive spirit of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

The event is made possible through the support of sponsors including One Cup Coffee Roasters, Sanlam, RBA, Horizon Express, Centrika, and Techno Market.