Love of the colourful tapestry that life has to offer has led to rewarding experiences such as those of the Membership Secretary of the Johannesburg Bach Choir. From her newfound love for bowls which she began playing after retiring in 2017, to her abiding love for the world-renowned diamond corporate, De Beers, Sue has had an interesting life.
Sue’s love of music – and singing – probably began as a girl. To make the after-dinner dishwashing more fun, Sue and her three sisters sang songs from the FAK (Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge) album that they had found in their home. They also sang the odd German folk song. While Sue also sang in her primary school choir, by her teens she was only interested in boys. She’d found new loves. Singing was all but forgotten.
Sue van Zyl with a modern version of the FAK (Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge) book from which she and her sisters sang as youngsters.(Photo by Theo Coggin)
Joining De Beers in 1991 as an executive secretary, Sue made full use of the company’s internal learning and development programme, eventually gaining a degree in human resources management which she put to use managing the company’s bursary scheme. Sue also found training and development, especially of young people, rewarding. Despite the pressure of her roles, Sue’s love for people and learning filled her 25-year career at De Beers with purpose and delight. Her many mentorship, guidance and training activities, usually involving thorough checking of work and performance, earned her the nickname “The Principal”. Her approval was required by all and was never easy to get.
Mostly, though, Sue loved working for what she came to know as an ethical company. De Beers sought, at every turn, to do the right thing. Whether among its employees, the communities it touched, the environment or the country, Sue felt it a privilege to be part of such an effective force for good.
About 10 years ago, leafing through the advertisement section of her local newspaper, Sue spotted an ad asking, Have you ever wanted to sing in a choir? Intrigued, she responded and joined what turned out to be an American gospel music group! She loved it. Here she also heard about Capital Singers, eventually participating in seven different massed concerts in Pretoria. While these choirs re-kindled her love of singing, the logistics of the trips to Pretoria motivated her to look for a choir closer to home. Quite by chance Sue’s sister heard an interview with Tim Roberts, chatting on Classic FM with his characteristic English accent. She “heard” him talking about the “Johannesburg BUCK Choir”. It intrigued her.
She quickly discovered that Tim has an engaging British demeanour, and that BUCK in this context was actually JS Bach and had nothing to do with antelopes. As soon as she could, Sue joined even though had no experience of singing classical music. She loved it from the start. Bowled over by the camaraderie, the professionalism of Tim Roberts and Ruth Coggin’s brilliant teaching, Sue has even learned how to read music!
Classical music — and singing in a choir with various sections doing different things — also demands a level of mental alertness, concentration and discipline that she really enjoys. Sue has also grown to truly appreciate classical music and honestly looks forward to the fun, learning and beauty of Monday night practices. She means it when she says, “thank you for the music, for giving it to me!”
▪ Stuart Meyer sings bass in The Johannesburg Bach Choir
▪ Apart from being membership secretary of the choir, Sue van Zyl sings in the soprano line
▪ Theo Coggin is the editor of The Bach Blog. Please “like” and “subscribe” to our Blog. Send suggestions for contributions, attention Theo, to johannesburgbachchoir@gmail.com
On entering Sue Webster’s sunny abode one is immediately struck by her collection of beautiful artefacts. A Sydney Carter oil, a Pierneef water colour, and works by her uncle, David Anthony Jones (reminiscent of the works of John Piper and Paul Nash) adorn the walls. Along the windowsills there’s an assortment of decoy ducks and wooden bird sculptures.
“I’m a collector,” says Sue, “and my late husband, Bill, was a minimalist. An interesting dynamic.”
Sue’s mother died young and so she was raised by her aunt, Connie Kinghorn whose son, David, became something of a brother and mentor to Sue.
As a girl in her late teens, she could only yearn to do the wonderful things Dave was doing. He had joined the Johannesburg Bach Choir, something quite out of her reach as sight reading music was a prerequisite. It was a time when one’s auditions were reviewed in the city’s newspapers. Whenever Dave left the house, she would ask, with burning curiosity, “Where are you going, Dave?”
“I’m going out,” would be his lofty reply.
Sue (pictured with her dog Teddy) qualified as a medical technologist and worked with Jemima Cantrell in Braamfontein for many years. Her husband was an electrical engineer. They had two children, and she now has four grandchildren.
She became a member of St Paul’s Anglican Church choir in Parkhurst and became deeply involved with all aspects of the parish. She has been running the fundraising charity shop for many years and also qualified as a lay minister and counsellor with Anglicare. She partnered with Rosebank police station in offering trauma counselling and is currently giving psychological and spiritual support to the elderly at Deansgate Retirement Village in Craighall Park.
When her husband died eight years ago, she joined the Johannesburg Bach Choir, encouraged to do so by Anne Kohler. Sue had always shown an aptitude for singing and had a good ear. Besides, one could take an audition without running the risk of a bad review in the papers.
After being a member for four years, a wonderful opportunity was announced. The choir had been invited to sing at the Bachfest in Leipzig! Sue saw this as a chance to do an extended tour after the Bachfest and put together an itinerary for herself that included going to St Petersburg, sailing up the Volga to Moscow and flying on to Istanbul.
And then, the arrangements completed, the calamitous Covid lockdown occurred. The tour was sadly cancelled.
Despite this potential death knell to the performing arts, the Johannesburg Bach Choir kept going. Every Monday evening the choir director, Tim Roberts, would drive to accompanist Ruth Coggin’s house, and from there the rehearsals continued via Zoom. Enthusiasm and dedication carried the choir through these challenging times. Since then, Sue has seen the choir grow in strength and diversity with many strong voices joining – including a growing number of younger people from all walks of life. She has also since become the leader of the soprano section.
“Music and singing is good for the brain,” says Sue, “It keeps those synapses firing and dementia at bay.”
Alastair Findlay is leader of the bass section of the choir.
The Bach Blog is the official blog of the Johannesburg Bach Choir and is edited by Theo Coggin. The headline for this article is taken from the lyrics of Handel’s The Many Rend the Skies which is among the choir’s repertoire.
Marriage it shall be: the many faces of Bach choir rehearsals
By Lucia Poorter*
Reiner Fossati, who was a member of the choir from 1983 until around 2019, and chairman for seven years, grew up in a musically-minded family in Cape Town, listening to classical greats such as Beethoven and Brahms.
“I also liked Mozart but always considered Beethoven two or three notches above him,” he says.
Reiner (above), who holds a doctorate in operations research and teaches additional maths for grades 10, 11 and 12 at the Johannesburg German International School, says he taught himself to read music at the age of seven or eight. “I was fascinated by anything that could be written down.”
He sang in the choir at the German School in Cape Town from the age of 10, and later, after moving to Johannesburg, was persuaded by a friend who was with him in the army to join the Randburg Male Voice Choir in 1979. In 1983, he responded to an advert in The Star for the Johannesburg Bach Choir.
Reiner remembers the choir having well over 100 members and singing two of his favourite works, Mahler’s Symphony No 2 and the Brahms Requiem, which he says “are both highly romantic.” The Mahler symphony also has “an incredible range for the basses. There is something sublime and kind of spiritual when the whole thing comes together.”
Other favourite compositions of his include Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Bach’s St Matthew Passion, and the big Mozart pieces.
Ken Fuller, who was chairman of the choir for more than 20 years, worked opposite the Johannesburg City Hall where the choir often performed, and was therefore usually able to pop across to check that everything was in order before concerts. However, in 1994, after his retirement, and what was to be the last time the choir ever performed in the City Hall, there was a mishap.
“There were supposed to be something like 29 rows of 36 chairs, but there were only 22 rows of 36 chairs,” says Reiner. “This meant that just before the concert was to start, members of the choir were sent down to the basement to fetch extra chairs.”
Another anecdote Reiner remembers is that there used to be a prize for the choir member who sold the most tickets before a concert. There was also a curmudgeonly person in the Choir, let’s call him Robert. Robert sold a huge number of tickets but occasionally someone else would share the prize. Ken would announce that the first prize was a week at Sun City with Robert, second prize was two weeks with Robert, and so on. Robert never saw the humour in this.
Reiner also recalls the choir being hired for a marriage proposal at St Columba’s.
“Someone had to stand guard to watch out for the groom. In the meantime, the wax from the tealight candles, which were laid out in the shape of a heart, leaked all over the floor.”
The bride accepted the proposal. But the choir was left with the challenge of how to remove the wax. (See accompanying photograph.)
Some people one never forgets, often for a variety of reasons. Jane Abrahams, a former secretary, committee member and, not least, an invaluable member of the sopranos of the Johannesburg Bach Choir for many years, is just such a person.
It was not just Jane’s sterling work in the background, or enjoyment of sharing her gift of singing which remains in my memory, however.
Jane Abrahams before in concert, before she retired from the JBC.
When interviewing her recently at her home in Rivonia as part of our celebration of the Johannesburg Bach Choir’s Diamond Jubilee, I remembered that when in the choir, Jane’s eloquence in the use of English came through often as she would draw my attention to an elegant phrase in what we were singing.
I asked her why words were so important to her, little realising that she has been surrounded by words all her life; as a novelist (under the pen name of Jane Fox), a poet, a bookseller, an editor, and for some years a librarian at the library of the Rudolf Steiner Society in Bryanston, Johannesburg.
This simply underlined how fortunate we are as a choir to have members who come from all walks of life. Writers, poets, artists, doctors, builders, lawyers, academics… the list knows no end, and musicians and singers fit in there somewhere as well!
As Jane says when she recalls what drew her for the Johannesburg Bach Choir: “All my family sang in church choirs and choral societies in Essex in the UK when I was a teenager, and it seemed natural to sing in a choir later in life in Johannesburg.”
Jane said one of her favourite pieces is the Faure Requiem, which she regards as a wonderful marriage of words to music.
She speaks with great happiness and delight that her son, Matthew, has also been a member of the Choir, and a grandchild is showing promising signs of carrying on the tradition in the family of making music.
As she approaches her ninth decade, Jane’s love for music is undimmed, and her support of the choir continues.
It is heartwarming to chat to members, not least to past members like Jane, who are part of a continuous group of people from many differing backgrounds who share a common joy in making music together, surely one of humankind’s greatest achievements.
Tim Roberts is the Director of the Johannesburg Bach Choir, Founder of the Apple Green Orchestra and annually presents the St Francis Baroque Festival.
Why do we still enjoy JS Bach’s music so many years after it was composed? Listen to Tim Roberts’s idea about this – and hear a short section of a Bach Cantata sung by the Johannesburg Bach Choir:
The Bach Blog was launched on Sunday 28 July 2024 in honour of the death of the great JS Bach, after whom the Johannesburg Bach Choir is named. It also celebrates the 60th anniversary of the JBC – its diamond jubilee – with the logo specially designed for the occasion by bass section leader Alastair Findlay. The Bach Blog features stories about members of our choir, or those associated with it over the years, written by other members of the choir and edited by Theo Coggin, a member of the bass section of the choir.
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Multi-talented and an inspiring teacher, Ruth gives 100%
Stuart Meyer continues his account of the musical journey of Ruth Coggin, the new music director of the Johannesburg Bach Choir.
Bach, singing and the pipe organ: a love story on its own
In the first of his articles on Ruth Coggin, the new music director of the Johannesburg Bach Choir, Stuart Meyer traces her musical journey from her teenage years of learning to master the grandeur of a pipe organ to participating in some of the seminal historic events in South Africa
Having grown up in a musical family and as a member of the Salvation Army, tenor Monde Ngwane believes “the stars aligned for me” in her musical journey. Singing was central to her family and supplied the impetus for her to enroll at the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music graded Durban Music School. She studied music theory and the cello and played in the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. She also sang with the Durban Symphonic Choir.
Faith is born through Bach and the sounds of the silence of nature
The end of a calendar year is often a time to say fond farewells to those members who are moving on. While it’s often a sad time, it’s also an occasion to remember them with gratitude for the contributions they have made in both song and friendship. One such person is Uschi Wellmann who has retired from her work at St Andrew’s School for Girls to take up a new position as matron at Paulpietersburg Christian Retirement Village in northern KZN. Before she left, The Bach Blog spoke to this much-loved soprano about how her faith and love of music all began.
Ecclesiastical, environmental, euphonious – gifts of a full life
Bishop Peter Lee and his wife, Revd Gill Lee, met in their 20s while they were both living in England. Gill is from central London and Peter comes from the deep countryside of Norfolk, known for its “open, flat, beautiful” land.
Mandy Collins, a member of our alto section, composed this poem for Tim Roberts’ farewell. We thank Mandy for giving us permission to publish this poem. Please note it is Copyright to Mandy – Theo Coggin, Editor of The Bach Blog.
Farewell to Tim Roberts
Monday 25 November 2024’s practice saw a heartfelt time of saying “thank you” to our music director, Tim Roberts, for his 15 years’ service to the Johannesburg Bach Choir. Accompanied by Ruth Coggin on the piano, each of the voice parts sang a song of their choice to him, the alto group finishing with Auld Lang Syne accompanied by Mandy Collins on a steel drum. A special gift to Tim was a framed cartoon of him, featuring his interests and hobbies. The hand-drawn cartoon was made by bass leader Alastair Findlay, with the inspiration and creative input for it by blog editor, Theo Coggin. Here is Tim with his harpsichord “racing car”, oboe, choir and singing elephant.
Photo by Ushi Wellmann
Members of the Johannesburg Bach Choir (JBC) come from all walks of life. That much is probably obvious. Not so obvious, however, are the fascinating array of interests (plus skills, experience, hobbies and sporting exploits) that many of our members enjoy. Marguerite Langton, a retired diagnostic radiologist who has been a member of the choir for many years, is one such person.
From “permission-of-husband-required” to JBC chair
It was the sublime, evocative voice of the late, great Kathleen Ferrier that struck awe into the young Kathy Whiteley, a former chairperson of the Johannesburg Bach. All she wanted was to sing like her. This is how Kathy’s love of singing started.
Six conductors and 60 years: Memories abound for Diane Coutts
The Johannesburg Bach Choir has been associated with some of South Africa’s most talented musicians during the past 60 years. Diane Coutts, who has performed with the Johannesburg Bach Choir as organist, pianist and harpsichordist, still accompanies the choir for rehearsals on an ad hoc basis.
The Johannesburg Bach Choir is delighted to receive a letter of congratulations on its 60th anniversary celebrations from the Leipzig Bachfest and the Bach Archive Leipzig. The Leipzig Bachfest is the world’s most significant Bach festival, attracting choirs from throughout the globe. We are honoured to be congratulated in this way.
Love of the colourful tapestry that life has to offer has led to rewarding experiences such as those of the Membership Secretary of the Johannesburg Bach Choir. From her newfound love for bowls which she began playing after retiring in 2017, to her abiding love for the world-renowned diamond corporate, DeBeers, Sue has had an interesting life.
On entering Sue Webster’s sunny abode one is immediately struck by her collection of beautiful artefacts. A Sydney Carter oil, a Pierneef water colour, and works by her uncle, David Anthony Jones (reminiscent of the works of John Piper and Paul Nash) adorn the walls. Along the windowsills there’s an assortment of decoy ducks and wooden bird sculptures.
Reiner Fossati, who was a member of the choir from 1983 until around 2019, and chairman for seven years, grew up in a musically-minded family in Cape Town, listening to classical greats such as Beethoven and Brahms.
Some people one never forgets, often for a variety of reasons. Jane Abrahams, a former Secretary, committee member and, not least, an invaluable member of the sopranos of the Johannesburg Bach Choir for many years, is just such a person.
J. S. Bach’s longest tenure (1723-1750) was as Cantor and Director of Music of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. Although he was not the organist in Leipzig, his later organ works were written while he was there. There are records of an organ having been there from around 1500 until Bach’s time, and two that were there in the early eighteenth century are known about. Both instruments received what we would call today “heavy maintenance” during Bach’s lifetime, although there appears to have been no extensive rebuilding as was done at Arnstadt. Neither of the instruments survives today. The photo in this post is of the present organ in the church. (Information from http://www.organhistoricalsociety.org. Photo from Facebook post of Stephen Lewis Furches https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008093808278&__tn__=-UC*F)
The Johannesburg Bach Choir will celebrate its diamond (60th) jubilee at a gala concert in November this year. Arrangements for the concert at St John’s College Chapel in Houghton on Sunday 17 November at 4.00pm (16h00) are already well in hand. They include plans to perform JS Bach’s acclaimed Cantata No 140 (“Wauchet auf, ruft uns die Stimme”) with Ilze van Staden as the soprano soloist, among other works.
Ballet, the bundu and the Bach Choir may not readily find an association in the minds of most people, but for alto Andrea Wilhelm, they fit together very neatly. Andrea, a member of the Johannesburg Bach Choir since 2022, is passionate about ballet, the bush and singing. An interview with her unpacked the meaning behind her unusual email address of bunduballerina@…
Painting, birding and beetle collection may be among their interests – but it’s singing together with other people that “lifts the soul”, says soprano Jemima Cantrell. She and husband Tony, a member of the bass section, are long-standing and faithful members of the Johannesburg Bach Choir, having joined in 2005.
The ongoing continuum of musical expression is central to the entire personal and professional demeanor of Tim Roberts, the affable musical director of the Bach choir.
The Mamas and the Papas of the 1960s would have little in common – one would think – with JS Bach, the doyen of Baroque composers, let alone with the Johannesburg choir that is named in honour of one of the most revered composers of all time. But listening to the animated manner in which the current chairperson of the Johannesburg Bach Choir (JBC) speaks of how much she looks forward to every Monday, the 1960s hit, “Monday, Monday”, by the Mamas and the Papas immediately came to mind.
The Johannesburg Bach Choir 